US plans reserve status for unwanted Littoral Combat Ships
The first four of the USN’s Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) – two of each variant – will be decommissioned from service by the end of Q1 2021, following an earlier reversion to test-ship status and subsequent decision to opt against sustaining the platforms due to cost.
According to the USN, as test platforms these four vessels have supported the development of mission module though IOC tests.
The first two Freedom-class LCS – USS Freedom (LCS 1) and Fort Worth (LCS 3) – were commissioned into the USN on 8 November 2008 and 22 September 2012 respectively. The first Independence
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