US Navy commissions littoral ship Nantucket
The USS Nantucket in Boston for its commissioning. (Photo: US Navy/Petty Officer 2nd Class George Cardenas)
The vessel will be the 14th Freedom-class littoral ship in the Navy’s current fleet.
The US Navy (USN) has commissioned future littoral combat ship (LCS) Nantucket at a ceremony in Massachusetts.
Nantucket is the 14th Freedom-variant LCS commissioned in the USN’s fleet, with its design and build led by Lockheed Martin, out of the Fincantieri Marinette Marine Corporation's shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin. The alternative, Independence variant, with 13 vessels currently in its fleet, was initially designed by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (LCS 2 and LCS 4) and subsequently (LCS 6 and up) by Austal USA out of its own shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.
The LCS concept is to run a fleet of fast, agile, mission-focused surface vessels with minimal manning, with as many of the legacy shipboard functions as possible, including logistics, maintenance and training farmed out to external organisations.
Related Articles
Lockheed wins Littoral Combat Ship trainer contract
Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship USS Marinette Littoral Combat Ship commissioned
Each of the two variants, Freedom and Independence, form their own squadron, with the Nantucket set to join Littoral Ship Squadron 2 in Mayport, Florida, whereas Independence-variant LCS are deployed out of San Diego. That way, the overall LCS fleet is split to deliver operational readiness for surface warfare in both the Atlantic and Pacific theatres.
While all the LCS vessels to date have been primarily focused on the surface warfare function, their design is such that other mission modules could be added as needed, and several such modules are currently in testing, according to the USN.
At the commissioning ceremony, US secretary of the navy Carlos Del Toro said the crew and the navy’s industry partners had worked tirelessly to bring the USS Nantucket to life, and that the vessel “represents the future of our fleet and force, equipped with advanced technology and sailed by our navy’s best and brightest crews”.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![RTX Raytheon advances with the development of new Barracuda mine neutraliser]()
RTX Raytheon advances with the development of new Barracuda mine neutraliser
The new Barracuda version has been engineered to perform enhanced subsea and seabed warfare missions.
-
![Future of the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke programme remains unclear]()
Future of the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke programme remains unclear
The US Navy does not have a precise date for the award of the procurement contract for the third Arleigh Burke-class destroyer despite having the funds to advance with the programme in FY2025.
-
![US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes]()
US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes
The US Navy (USN) is currently reassessing its acquisition efforts and seeking ways to reduce the multiple delays across the shipbuilding initiatives.
