US Navy commissions USS Billings
The US Navy commissioned USS Billings (LCS 15) on 3 August in Key West, Florida.
Billings is the newest Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) to join the navy’s fleet. The ship will be homeported in Mayport, Florida.
The fast, agile, focused-mission vessel is designed for operation in near-shore environments and open-ocean operations. It is capable of defeating asymmetric anti-access threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft.
The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom variant and the Independence variant, designed and built by two industry teams: Lockheed Martin and Austal USA, respectively.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Naval Warfare
-
![US Navy to acquire and test uncrewed surface vessel prototypes by the end of FY2026]()
US Navy to acquire and test uncrewed surface vessel prototypes by the end of FY2026
The new autonomous surface vessels are planned to be operationally fielded in FY2027, following the completion of on-water trials.
-
![Hanwha Ocean and TKMS are firming up their Canadian next-gen submarine proposals]()
Hanwha Ocean and TKMS are firming up their Canadian next-gen submarine proposals
CPSP competitors are proposing platforms fitted with advanced, next-generation capabilities to be built and sustained in cooperation with the Canadian industry.
-
![UK’s $1 billion AUKUS support request signals strong ongoing US collaboration]()
UK’s $1 billion AUKUS support request signals strong ongoing US collaboration
The latest foreign military sales request from the UK has implications for the future of the programme and collaboration between the three nations.
-
![US Coast Guard prepares acquisition process of up to seven light icebreakers]()
US Coast Guard prepares acquisition process of up to seven light icebreakers
The USCG plans to award a contract this year for the construction of Homeland Security Cutters. The new vessels will replace the 60-plus-year-old fleet of Light Icebreaking Tugs.
-
![RTX Raytheon enhances SM-3 and SM-6 production capacity]()
RTX Raytheon enhances SM-3 and SM-6 production capacity
The expansion of the Redstone facility in Alabama will enable Raytheon to increase production of Standard Missiles in the location by 50% and support Washington in refilling stockpiles after recent operations have depleted the Pentagon’s reserves.
