Its delivery marks the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the U.S. Navy, bringing the service’s inventory up to 300. The future USS Oakland will be commissioned in early 2021.
The future USS Oakland is the third U.S. Navy ship to honor the long history its namesake city has had with the Navy. The first Oakland was commissioned in 1918 and used to transport cargo. In 1943 the second USS Oakland was commissioned. Though in service for less than seven years, she was key to many anti-aircraft missions in the Western Pacific—Marshall Islands, Pagan Island, Guam, Iwo Jima, Rota, Peleliu and Okinawa. After the war, Oakland performed two duty patrols off the coast of China before her decommissioning in 1949.
Four additional Independence-variant ships are under construction at Austal USA: Mobile (LCS 26), Savannah (LCS 28), Canberra (LCS 30) and Santa Barbara (LCS 32). Three additional ships are awaiting the start of construction.
The future USS Oakland is the third LCS delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2020. The future USS St. Louis (LCS 19) was delivered Feb. 6, and the future USS Kansas City (LCS 22) delivered Feb. 12. Two additional ships—Minneapolis-St. Paul (LCS 21) and Mobile (LCS 26)—are planned for delivery this year.
About Independence-class LCS
The Independence-class LCS is a fast, agile, focused-mission platform designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation.
The 127 metre trimaran is designed to defeat asymmetric “anti-access” threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft. The ship successfully integrates new technology and capability to support current and future U.S. Navy mission capability in any operating environment.
Independence-class LCS specifications
- Construction Hull and superstructure – aluminium alloy
- Length overall 127.1 metres (419ft)
- Beam overall 31.4 metres (104ft)
- Hull draft (maximum) 4.5 metres (14ft)
- Full Load Displacement 3,200 tonnes
- Speed 40 knots
- Range 3,500 nm @ 16 knots
- Crew: 76 sailors
