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U.S. Navy Commissions Fifth Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship USS Little Rock (LCS 9)

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Naval Forces News - USA
 
 
 
 
U.S. Navy Commissions Fifth Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship USS Little Rock (LCS 9)
 
The U.S. Navy commissioned USS Little Rock (LCS 9) –– the nation's fifth Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) –– on the Buffalo River on Dec. 16. This milestone officially places the ship, which was designed and built by Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine into active service.
     
LCS 9 USS Little Rock Lockheed Martin CommissioningSailors assigned to the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Little Rock (LCS 9) man the ship’s rails during the commissioning ceremony on the Buffalo River on Dec. 16. Photo credit: Lockheed Martin.
     
USS Little Rock completed its acceptance trials in August and was delivered to the U.S. Navy on Sept. 25. She joins four other Freedom-variant ships in the fleet: USS Freedom (LCS 1), USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) and USS Detroit (LCS 7). Collectively, Freedom-variant littoral combat ships have sailed over 250,000 nautical miles and successfully completed two overseas deployments.

"As a company with strong ties to Arkansas and Upstate New York, we are privileged to have delivered USS Little Rock to the Navy and see her commissioned in the state where so many of our employees call home," said Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin vice president of small surface combatants and ship systems. "We take great pride in knowing that USS Little Rock and her dedicated crews will serve in the defense of our great nation, enabling the U.S. Navy to carry out its missions where and when needed for decades to come."
     
Lockheed Martin video
     
Named in honor of the patriotic and hardworking citizens of Little Rock, LCS 9 will be the second U.S. Navy ship to bear the name of Arkansas’ largest city. Her homeport will be Naval Station Mayport, where she’ll join USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) and USS Detroit (LCS 7).

The Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine team is currently in full-rate production of the Freedom-variant of the LCS, and has delivered five ships to the U.S. Navy to date. There are eight ships in various stages of construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine, with one more in long-lead production.

The Freedom-variant LCS team is comprised of Lockheed Martin, shipbuilder Fincantieri Marinette Marine, naval architect Gibbs & Cox, and more than 800 suppliers in 42 states.