Future Gabrielle Giffords (LCS-10) Completes Acceptance Trials; Commissioning In Early 2017

November 22, 2016 5:57 PM - Updated: November 23, 2016 1:30 PM
Aerial view of the future littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) during its launch sequence at the Austal USA shipyard on Feb. 24, 2015. US Navy Photo
Aerial view of the future littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) during its launch sequence at the Austal USA shipyard on Feb. 24, 2015. US Navy Photo

The Navy’s 10th Littoral Combat Ship successfully completed its acceptance trials ahead of a planned commissioning next year.

The future Gabrielle Giffords (LCS-10) wrapped up testing on Nov. 18 after the ship and its crew demonstrated the performance of the propulsion plant, ship handling and auxiliary systems in port and at sea for the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV), the Navy announced in a news release.

The acceptance trials are the last major event ahead of commissioning next year in Galveston, Texas. The crew launched and recovered 11-meter rigid-hull inflatable boats, performed surface and air self-defense detect-to-engage exercises and demonstrated the ship’s speed and maneuverability.

“Another thorough trial by INSURV, and another ship with improved scores and at a lower cost than her predecessor,” LCS program manager Capt. Tom Anderson said in the news release. “LCS 10 is an exceptional ship which brings the Navy operational flexibility at an affordable price.”

After commissioning, the ship will sail to its homeport in San Diego to join sister ships USS Independence (LCS-2), USS Coronado (LCS-4), USS Jackson (LCS-6) and USS Montgomery (LCS-8), as well as Freedom-variant ships USS Freedom (LCS-1), USS Fort Worth (LCS-3), USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) and USS Detroit (LCS-7). The future Little Rock (LCS-9) began builders trials earlier this month in preparation for acceptance trials and commissioning early next year.

The Independence-variant ships are built at Austal USA in Mobile, Ala. That yard is wrapping up construction on the future Omaha (LCS-12) and Manchester (LCS-14), which are preparing for builders trials in 2017. Tulsa (LCS-16) is scheduled to be christened in early 2017. And Charleston (LCS-18), Cincinnati (LCS-20), Kansas City (LCS-22), Oakland (LCS-24) and Mobile (LCS-26) are in various stages of completion at the yard.

Megan Eckstein

Megan Eckstein

Megan Eckstein is the former deputy editor for USNI News.

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