The US Navy has quietly decommissioned two more littoral combat ships (LCS) in Mayport, Florida.
USS Detroit (LCS-7) and USS Little Rock (LCS-9) received their final honors on September 29, after only six and seven years of service.
The two vessels were part of the US Navy’s Freedom class, which had major design flaws that resulted in their early retirements.
Troubled History
The decommissioning ceremony was led by LCS-7 Commanding Officer Cmdr. Kyle Hickman, who stressed the important roles the ships played in protecting the country’s waters.
The craft were deployed to conduct intelligence-gathering operations and patrols to bolster the US international anti-drug trafficking campaign.
Both ships suffered breakdowns of their combining gear due to construction and design discrepancies, with the LCS-7 being forced to cut short missions to Latin America.
LCS-7 and LCS-9 are currently on hold for potential foreign military sales, with the latter being moored at the Philadelphia Navy Yard at a later date for storage.
USS Augusta Awakens
Meanwhile, a brand-new Independence-variant LCS was commissioned in Eastport, Maine during a ceremony led by Naval Inspector General Vice Adm. John Fuller.
The USS Augusta (LCS-34) is scheduled to operate in near-shore and the open ocean, serving as the Navy’s newest addition to its littoral defenses.
“She will be integrated into operations that provide presence and support both sea control and power projection, which are at the core of the Navy’s mission,” Fuller said.
LCS-34 is the third Independence-variant craft to be commissioned this year, after USS Canberra (LCS-30) and USS Santa Barbara (LCS-32).