The US Navy has decommissioned Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Sioux City (LCS 11) in Mayport, Florida, after less than five years in service.
Officially commissioned in November 2018 in Annapolis, Maryland, the vessel was manufactured by Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Wisconsin.
It had one of the US Navy’s shortest periods of active service after World War II due to “design flaws” in the ship’s class. All ships in the class have been decommissioned within five years of beginning their service life.
Legacy
“Though our ship’s service ends today, her legacy does not. For years to come the sailors who served onboard will carry forth lessons learned and career experiences gained,” Littoral Combat Ship Training Facility Atlantic Commander Capt. Daniel Reiher said at the decommissioning ceremony.
“As those lessons and experiences are used to forge those that follow us, the legacy of Sioux City will strengthen our Navy for generations to come,” he added.
Between December 2020 and October 2022, the USS Sioux City saw four deployments: with the US Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Fleets. It also conducted maritime security and trade flow missions and participated in joint exercises.
The ship also aided counter drug trafficking operations with the US Coast Guard.
Beset by Operational Issues
In 2022, the navy announced plans to retire all nine vessels in the Freedom-class LCS variant within this year, well before the scheduled end of service, originally 25 years after commissioning.
The Freedom-class littoral combat ships have been beset by operational issues since they first began entering service.
The two major issues have been problems with the combining gear, preventing the ships from reaching maximum speed, and delays in mission package development that would have allowed them to conduct mine countermeasures, surface warfare, or anti-submarine missions.
In April, the navy launched the future USS Cleveland (LCS 31) — the last Freedom-class ship — concluding the manufacture of the LCS series.