Fincantieri Marinette Marine has delivered the US Navy’s 14th Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Nantucket (LCS 27) in Wisconsin.
The handover followed the vessel’s December 2023 acceptance trials in partnership with LCS primary contractor Lockheed Martin.
The navy will commission the ship later this year, with its homeport designated to be Mayport in Florida.
Nantucket is the fourth vessel named after the island in Massachusetts.
“The future USS Nantucket serves as a shining example of the perseverance of the United States maritime industrial base and shows that the partnership we have with industry is built to last,” Littoral Combat Ship Manager Capt. Matthew Lehmann said at the LCS 27 handover ceremony.
“Together, the Navy and industry will continue our work to prepare her for commissioning and Fleet operations, delivering combat capability across the globe.”
Littoral Combat Ship Program
The LCS initiative was introduced in 2002 to replace the US Navy’s Constellation-class guided-missile frigates with a near-shore fleet capable of 21st-century warfare.
Twenty-eight LCS ships are under service to date. The systems were procured separately under two contracts, with Lockheed’s consortium producing the Freedom variant and Austal’s team for the Independent variant.
After the Nantucket’s arrival, Lockheed and Marinette Marine will continue the construction of the two final Freedom vessels.
The last Independence ship, the USS Pierre (LCS 38), was christened in May.
Specifications
The US Navy’s LCS measures up to 419 feet (128 meters), depending on its variant.
It sails with combined diesel and gas turbine engines for a top speed of 46 miles (74 kilometers) per hour and a range of up to 3,500 nautical miles (4,028 miles/6,500 kilometers).
The vessel can carry fighting vehicles, helicopters, equipment payloads, and up to 75 warfighters.
The platform is armed with naval automatic and chain guns, surface-to-air and anti-armor missiles, high-energy lasers, and decoy systems.
