Navy

Acceptance Trial

Future USS Detroit (LCS-7) successfully concluded its acceptance trial July 15 after completing a series of graded in-port and underway demonstrations for the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV).

LCS-7, the future USS Detroit, is the fourth Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship and the 7th in the class
LCS-7, the future USS Detroit, is the fourth Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship and the 7th in the class

The acceptance trial is the last significant milestone before delivery of the ship to the Navy, which is planned for this fall. During the trial, the Navy conducted comprehensive tests of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) intended to demonstrate the performance of the propulsion plant, shiphandling and auxiliary systems. While underway, the ship successfully performed launch and recovery operations of the 36-foot/11-meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB), conducted surface and air self-defense detect-to-engage exercises, and demonstrated the ship’s maneuverability.

«Another thorough trial by the Board of Inspection and Survey, and another ship with improved scores and at a lower cost than her predecessor», said LCS Program Manager Captain Tom Anderson. «Detroit’s performance during acceptance trial is a testament to the hard work of the Marinette workforce. I look forward to placing the ship in the capable hands of her crew later this summer».

Following delivery and commissioning in its namesake city of Detroit, LCS-7 will sail to California to be homeported in San Diego with sister ships USS Freedom (LCS-1), USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) and USS Milwaukee (LCS-5).

Several more Freedom variants are under construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine Corporation in Marinette, Wisconsin. Future USS Little Rock (LCS-9) is preparing for builder’s trials. Christened in January, future USS Sioux City (LCS-11) is currently conducting system testing in preparation for trials in 2017. Future USS Wichita (LCS-13) is preparing for launch in the fall. Meanwhile future USS Billings (LCS-15) laid her keel in November 2015 and sister ship future USS Indianapolis (LCS-17) started fabrication in August 2015 and laid her keel in July. Additional ships in the pre-production phase include future USS St. Louis (LCS-19), future USS Minneapolis/St. Paul (LCS-21), future USS Cooperstown (LCS-23) and to-be-named future LCS-25.

Designed and built by two industry teams, the LCS class consists of the Freedom variant led by Lockheed Martin, and the Independence variant led by Austal USA for USS Jackson (LCS-6) and follow-on even-numbered hulls; General Dynamics Bath Iron Works led on USS Independence (LCS-2) and USS Coronado (LCS-4). Thirteen ships are under construction, purchased as part of the Navy’s innovative block-buy acquisition strategy.

LCS is a modular, reconfigurable ship, with three types of mission packages including surface warfare, mine countermeasures, and anti-submarine warfare. The Program Executive Office for Littoral Combat Ships (PEO LCS) is responsible for delivering and sustaining littoral mission capabilities to the fleet.

It is designed to defeat growing littoral threats and provide access and dominance in the coastal water battlespace
It is designed to defeat growing littoral threats and provide access and dominance in the coastal water battlespace

 

Ship Design Specifications

Hull Advanced semiplaning steel monohull
Length Overall 389 feet/118.6 m
Beam Overall 57 feet/17.5 m
Draft 13.5 feet/4.1 m
Full Load Displacement Approximately 3,200 metric tons
Top Speed Greater than 40 knots/46 mph/74 km/h
Range at top speed 1,000 NM/1,151 miles/1,852 km
Range at cruise speed 4,000 NM/4,603 miles/7,408 km
Watercraft Launch and Recovery Up to Sea State 4
Aircraft Launch and Recovery Up to Sea State 5
Propulsion Combined diesel and gas turbine with steerable water jet propulsion
Power 85 MW/113,600 horsepower
Hangar Space Two MH-60 Romeo Helicopters
One MH-60 Romeo Helicopter and three Vertical Take-off and Land Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicles (VTUAVs)
Core Crew Less than 50
Accommodations for 75 sailors provide higher sailor quality of life than current fleet
Integrated Bridge System Fully digital nautical charts are interfaced to ship sensors to support safe ship operation
Core Self-Defense Suite Includes 3D air search radar
Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) gunfire control system
Rolling-Airframe Missile Launching System
57-mm Main Gun
Mine, Torpedo Detection
Decoy Launching System

 

Freedom-class

Ship Laid down Launched Commissioned Homeport
USS Freedom (LCS-1) 06-02-2005 09-23-2006 11-08-2008 San Diego, California
USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) 07-11-2009 12-07-2010 09-22-2012 San Diego, California
USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) 10-27-2011 12-18-2013 11-21-2015 San Diego, California
USS Detroit (LCS-7) 08-11-2012 10-18-2014 San Diego, California
USS Little Rock (LCS-9) 06-27-2013 07-18-2015
USS Sioux City (LCS-11) 02-19-2014 01-30-2016
USS Wichita (LCS-13) 02-09-2015
USS Billings (LCS-15) 11-02-2015
USS Indianapolis (LCS-17) 07-18-2016
USS St. Louis (LCS-19)
USS Minneapolis/St. Paul (LCS-21)
USS Cooperstown (LCS-23)
LCS-25

 

Future USS Detroit (LCS-7) Successfully Completes Acceptance Trials