The US Navy has named the next Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) as USS Tulsa (LCS 16), the US Department of Defense's Secretary of the Navy announced on 15 September.
The USS Tulsa will be capable of operating at speeds in excess of 40 knots and will be 419 feet long. It will provide operational flexibility and war fighting capabilities to execute various missions in areas such as surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare and mine warfare.
The ship will have a modular design, which will incorporate mission packages that can be changed to meet combat requirements. They are supported by detachments that deploy both manned and unmanned vehicles, and sensors in support of mine, undersea, and surface warfare missions.
Austal USA will construct USS Tulsa in Mobile, Alabama.
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