USS Tulsa completes acceptance trials

The US Navy has successfully completed acceptance trials of its Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Tulsa, the navy announced on 15 March.

The ship underwent a series of in-port and underway demonstrations for the navy's Board of Inspection and Survey. During trials, the navy conducted comprehensive tests, intended to demonstrate the performance of the propulsion plant, ship handling abilities and auxiliary systems.

The ship successfully demonstrated its bow thruster, twin boom extensible crane operations with 11m rigid-hull inflatable boat, completed surface and air self-defence detect-to-engage exercises and demonstrated handling and maneouverability through high-speed steering and anchor operations.

The vessel will be commissioned into service following delivery, an industrial post-delivery availability and a post-delivery availability that is focused on crew training, certifications and familiarisation exercises.

Tulsa is a modular, reconfigurable ship designed to meet validated fleet requirements for surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and mine countermeasures missions in the littoral region.

The ship will be homeported in San Diego with other Independence class ships.