LCS 20 delivered to USN
The US Navy has accepted delivery of Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 20 from Austal, to be named USS Cincinnati.
Accepted on 21 June during a ceremony in Mobile, Alabama, this is the 18th LCS to be delivered to the USN, and the 10th Independence-class example to join the fleet. Commissioning will take place in Gulfport, Mississippi later this year.
Five additional Independence-variant ships are under construction at Austal USA. These include the USS Kansas City (LCS 22) which is expected to be delivered to the navy later year, plus USS Oakland (LCS 24), USS Mobile (LCS 26), USS Savannah (LCS 28) and USS Canberra (LCS 30), which are all in various stages of construction.
Four more ships are awaiting the start of construction following LCS 30, according to Austal.
LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, while it is also capable of open-ocean tasking and operating against modern coastal threats such as submarines, mines and swarming small craft. It is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control and deterrence.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![US Navy’s MUSV programme could lay the USV procurement blueprint for NATO allies]()
US Navy’s MUSV programme could lay the USV procurement blueprint for NATO allies
The programme’s structure as a marketplace will allow multiple companies to compete for ongoing procurements; an approach which could be replicated across the Atlantic.
-
![Funding for the future US Navy Trump-class battleship sparks controversy in Congress]()
Funding for the future US Navy Trump-class battleship sparks controversy in Congress
Lawmakers question the US Navy’s proposed $2 billion investment in the Trump-class battleship as concerns over cost, technology maturity and operational relevance fuel growing bipartisan scrutiny on Capitol Hill.
-
![Germany sinks F126 frigate programme in favour of cheaper MEKO A-200]()
Germany sinks F126 frigate programme in favour of cheaper MEKO A-200
On 24 June 2026, the German Ministry of Defence announced it was cancelling the F126 frigate programme in favour of procuring eight MEKO A-200 DEU frigates.
-
![UK’s Type 31 frigate balances cost pressure with long-term export ambition]()
UK’s Type 31 frigate balances cost pressure with long-term export ambition
The UK shipbuilder’s full-year results to the end of March revealed the impact of the £140 million charge linked to design changes and rework on the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigate programme.
