The fourth Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship has delivered to the U.S. Navy ahead of an October commissioning, according to a Monday announcement from the service.
The Lockheed Martin Detroit (LCS-7) delivered to the service on Aug. 12 and is the eighth LCS to deliver to the service.
The ship is now in the hands of commander, LCS Squadron One, according to NAVSEA.
The San Diego-based, “COMLCSRON supports the operational commanders with warships ready for tasking by manning, training, equipping and maintaining littoral combat ships in the fleet,” read the Monday statement.
“Delivery marks the official transfer of LCS 7 from the shipbuilder, part of a Lockheed Martin-led team, to the Navy.”
The delivery follows the completion of acceptance trials in July where the Navy tested, “the performance of the propulsion plant, ship handling and auxiliary systems. While underway, the ship successfully performed launch and recovery operations of the 11-meter rigid-hull inflatable boat, conducted surface and air self-defense detect-to-engage exercises, and demonstrated the ship’s maneuverability,” according to the service.
The ship will commission in Detroit.
“The Lockheed Martin-led industry team is currently in full-rate production of the Freedom-variant, with six ships under construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) and three more in long-lead material procurement,” read a Monday statement from Lockheed Martin.
Little Rock (LCS-9) is set to undergo trials this fall while Sioux City (LCS-11) will undergo trails in 2017.
The 3,500-ton class, along with Austal USA’s Independence-class LCS, is a finalist for the Navy’s selection of the LCS follow-on frigate design in 2019.
