U.S. Navy’s Final Independence-Class Combat Ship Completes Sea Trials

The U.S. Navy has completed acceptance trials for its final Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), the future USS Pierre (LCS 38). The milestone was achieved during the week of June 9 at Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, marking the end of sea trials for this class of ships after 15 years of production.

The trials, conducted by Austal USA and the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV), showed the highest quality performance measured across the program’s history. The ship will now move toward delivery in the coming weeks and is scheduled to be commissioned this fall. Once commissioned, USS Pierre will be based in San Diego, California.

According to Jonas Brown, deputy program manager for the LCS Program Office (PMS 501), LCS 38 symbolises the Navy’s adaptability, innovation, and commitment to its shipbuilding goals.

USS Pierre (LCS 38) is the 19th Independence-variant LCS built for the Navy and the third ship named after the city of Pierre, South Dakota.

The first ship to carry the name was the SS Pierre Victory, a cargo ship from World War II known for successfully shooting down a kamikaze plane near Okinawa. The second was a Navy submarine chaser (PC-1141), commissioned in 1943, renamed USS Pierre in 1946, and decommissioned in 1958.

Melissa Kirkendall, acting Program Executive Officer for Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC), described the Independence-variant LCS as a powerful symbol of innovation, agility, and modern combat capabilities.

The Littoral Combat Ship is a fast, flexible, and mission-specific surface combatant, designed to operate in near-shore environments and handle modern maritime threats. It is equipped to perform independently or as part of a networked group of larger Navy vessels such as cruisers and destroyers.

The LCS class includes two distinct types: the Freedom variant (odd-numbered ships with a monohull, built by Lockheed Martin) and the Independence variant (even-numbered ships with a trimaran hull, built by Austal USA).

Harley Combs, Vice President of Surface Ship Programs at Austal USA, congratulated the entire shipbuilding team, Navy partners, and suppliers for completing LCS 38’s final trials.

Acceptance trials are a key phase in shipbuilding where the ship’s major systems and performance are thoroughly tested. The INSURV team oversees and validates the trials to ensure the vessel meets all Navy requirements and is fully mission-ready.

Reference: navsea

Source: Maritime Shipping News