US Navy to commission LCS 13
The US Navy is set to commission its new Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 13, the future USS Wichita, at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida, on 12 January.
Wichita is a Freedom-class LCS designed to support operation in near-shore environments as well as in the open-ocean. The vessel can be deployed to support missions in the areas of mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare.
The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom-variant and the Independence-variant. The Freedom variant team is led by Lockheed Martin and the Independence-variant team is led by Austal USA.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Euronaval 2026: by the power of six, Fincantieri’s MMMV reflects modular naval shift]()
Euronaval 2026: by the power of six, Fincantieri’s MMMV reflects modular naval shift
The 50m, six-person ship from the Italian shipbuilder carries swappable, containerised payloads instead of a fixed mission, reflecting a shift that is becoming increasingly evident.
-
![Canada’s submarine availability under pressure as Chicoutimi is unlikely to return to front-line duties]()
Canada’s submarine availability under pressure as Chicoutimi is unlikely to return to front-line duties
HMCS Victoria and HMCS Windsor could return from their current deep maintenance, but unconfirmed operational timelines leave questions over patrol capacity before the first CPSP arrives.
-
![Patrol vessel demand and partnerships anchor North Africa’s naval market]()
Patrol vessel demand and partnerships anchor North Africa’s naval market
Fincantieri and Naval Group are positioning for long-term work in Egypt and Morocco as demand for local industrial partnerships grows.
-
![UK MoD faces ‘serious’ ASW gap as Defence Committee outlines Arctic requirements]()
UK MoD faces ‘serious’ ASW gap as Defence Committee outlines Arctic requirements
Anti-submarine warfare, uncrewed vessels and seabed monitoring top the demand list in the Defence Committee’s High North roadmap for the 2030s.
