The U.S. Navy commissioned its 10th Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship, USS St. Louis (LCS 19), on August 8 at Mayport Naval Station, Florida. The vessel was built by Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine.

The U.S. Navy is looking to decommission 8 vessels in 2021. Pending approval from Congress, the plan would see the first four Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) being mothballed.

Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 23, the future USS Cooperstown, completed the next significant production milestone when ship sponsor Alba Tull christened the ship by breaking a champagne bottle across the hull in a ceremony in Marinette, Wisconsin.

Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine delivered the future USS St. Louis, Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 19, to the U.S. Navy.

Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 19, the future USS St. Louis, completed Acceptance Trials in Lake Michigan. Now that trials are complete, the ship will undergo final outfitting and fine-tuning before delivery. LCS 19 is the tenth Freedom-class LCS designed and built by the Lockheed Martin-led industry team and is slated for delivery to the Navy early next year.

Austal, builder of the USS Independence-class and Lockheed Martin, builder of the USS Freedom-class LCS, have offered options for a “Frigate-type” LCS with hull lengthening, better weapons, better sensors, and various upgrades for higher performance, lethality, survivability, and C4SIR.

The Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Detroit (LCS 7) departed its homeport of Mayport, Florida, for the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility on its maiden deployment Oct. 31.

The U.S. Navy commissioned Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 17, USS Indianapolis – the nation’s ninth Freedom-variant LCS – in Burns Harbor, Indiana on October 26, 2019. This milestone places the ship, built by the Lockheed Martin-led team into active service.

Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine marked the beginning of construction on Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 27, the future USS Nantucket, with a ceremony in Marinette.