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.
Independence Class (LCS)
Freedom Class (LCS)