Navy's USS Little Rock enters active service after commissioning ceremony
NewsDecember 18, 2017
BUFFALO, N.Y. U.S. Navy representatives commissioned the fifth Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) -- USS Little Rock (LCS-9) -- on the Buffalo River on December 16. This milestone places the ship officially into active service.
USS Little Rock completed its acceptance trials in August and was delivered to the U.S. Navy on September 25. She joins four other Freedom-variant ships in the fleet: USS Freedom (LCS 1), USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), USS Milwaukee (LCS 5), and USS Detroit (LCS 7).
The ship was named in honor of the citizens of Little Rock and is the second U.S. Navy ship to bear the name of Arkansas' largest city. She will join USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) and USS Detroit (LCS 7) at Naval Station Mayport, her homeport, in a few weeks.
The Freedom-variant LCS team is comprised of Lockheed Martin, shipbuilder Fincantieri Marinette Marine, naval architect Gibbs & Cox, and more than 800 suppliers in 42 states. The Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine team is currently in full-rate production of the Freedom-variant of the LCS, and has delivered five ships to the U.S. Navy to date. There are eight ships in various stages of construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine, with one more in long-lead production.
Read more on the U.S. Navy:
U.S. Navy to upgrade communications on Aegis cruisers
General Dynamics, U.S. Navy sign $5.1 billion pact for ballistic-missile subs
U.S. Navy unmanned aircraft autonomously refuels in flight
