Austal USA delivered its 10th Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) to the U.S. Navy. The future USS Cincinnati (LCS 20) will be the 18th LCS to enter the fleet.

The Lockheed Martin-led shipbuilding team launched Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 21, the future USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul into the Menominee River at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine Shipyard. Ship sponsor Jodi J. Greene, Deputy Under Secretary of the U.S. Navy for Policy, christened LCS 21 just prior to launch.

The U.S. Navy held a keel laying and authentication ceremony for the future littoral combat ship USS Marinette (LCS 25) in Marinette, Wisconsin March 27. The keel laying symbolically recognizes the joining of the ship's components and the ceremonial beginning of the ship.

At the SNA 2019 symposium held in mid-January, Lockheed Martin unveiled a scale model dubbed "LCS with Lethality and Survivability Upgrades"

The littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) was commissioned into the U.S. Navy during a ceremony in Charleston, South Carolina, March 2. USS Charleston is the 16th littoral combat ship to enter the U.S. Navy fleet and the 9th of the Austal-built Independence-class.

The US Navy announced completion of developmental testing for the AN/AQS-20C mine-hunting sonar system at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division, Feb. 26.

Construction on the future USS Canberra (LCS 30) began on Feb. 22 in Austal USA's module manufacturing facility. Dave Growden, native Australian, LCS Program Director and a 30-year member of Austal USA's team, had the honor of pushing the button to start the router that cut the first piece of aluminum, signalling start of construction for the 15th Independence-variant littoral combat ship.

The littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16) was commissioned into the U.S. Navy during a ceremony in San Francisco Feb. 16. USS Tulsa is the 15th littoral combat ship and the eighth of the Austal-built Independence-class.

Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) delivered another Littoral Combat Ship, the future USS Billings (LCS 15) to the U.S. Navy.

The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mission Module Program successfully completed shipboard integration testing of two unmanned systems on board USS Independence (LCS 2) Jan. 14, the US Navy PEO USC Public Affairs said yesterday.