Littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS-8) completed final contract trials, March 17, marking the completion of the construction and initial operating testing of the Navy’s eighth LCS.

The trials, administered by the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey, are part of a series of post-delivery test and trial events through which the ship and its major systems are exercised.

The five-day trials began with pre-underway and material condition checks followed by at-sea demonstrations. Trial highlights included combat systems air and surface detect-to-engage scenarios, 57-mm gun firing exercises, maneuvering testing and operation of the twin boom extendable crane.

«I am exceptionally proud of the USS Montgomery (LCS-8) team and the combined efforts of the blue and gold crews, Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ships (PEO LCS), Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 1, and all of the other contributors who worked to create this successful outcome», said Commander Mark Stefanik, Montgomery’s commanding officer. «Montgomery has continued to raise the bar and we are looking forward to her next challenge and a successful introduction to fleet operations».

Several government and private agencies supported the trials led by PEO LCS; industry partners included Austal USA and General Dynamics Mission Systems, and Southwest Regional Maintenance Center provided logistical support. Additionally, in a move to the blue and gold crewing construct, Montgomery Blue Crew, currently in an off-hull status, successfully demonstrated the support a Blue-Gold model provides.

«Montgomery is our ship, both blue and gold crews, and we continue that legacy even while off-hull», said Commander Daniel Straub, Montgomery Blue Crew commanding officer. «We put a lot of hard work and sweat equity into the ship during the pre-commissioning phase, commissioning, and sail-around to homeport San Diego. Our commitment to the ship remains constant whether on-hull or off-hull, and we are excited and motivated that we knocked these final contract trials out of the park».

Constructed by Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama, the Independence-class vessel is the fourth vessel of the trimaran design. Montgomery is preceded by USS Independence (LCS-2), USS Coronado (LCS-4), and USS Jackson (LCS-6). Montgomery was christened November 8, 2014, and commissioned September 10, 2016, in Mobile.

LCS is a high-speed, agile, shallow draft, mission-focused surface combatant designed for operations in the littoral environment, yet fully capable of open ocean operations. LCS is complementary to the surface fleet, with the ability to counter and outpace evolving threats independently or within a network of surface combatants. Paired with advanced sonar and mine hunting capabilities, LCS provides a major contribution, as well as a more diverse set of options to commanders, across the spectrum of operations.

Independence Variant of the LCS Class

Independence-class

The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), USS Montgomery (LCS-8), during a 10 a.m. CST ceremony Saturday, September 10 in Mobile, Alabama.

Montgomery, designated LCS-8, honors the city of Montgomery, Alabama, and is the second U.S. ship in our nation’s history to be named in honor of the capital of Alabama. Montgomery, Alabama was named for Richard Montgomery, a major general in the Continental Army.

U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne, Alabama’s 1st Congressional District, will deliver the ceremony’s principal address. Mary Sessions, wife of Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama and a Montgomery native, is serving as the ship’s sponsor.

«The commissioning of USS Montgomery is not only a celebration of the partnership we share with the people of a great southern capital, but also of our nation’s highly skilled shipbuilders who, in building ships like Montgomery – the U.S. Navy’s eighth littoral combat ship – will help us continue to grow the fleet to more than 300 ships by the end of this decade», said the Honorable Ray Mabus, secretary of the U.S. Navy. «This great ship, and the sailors who serve aboard her, will represent the city of Montgomery, Alabama, and our nation around the world for years to come».

While the second to be named for the Alabama capital, a total of four Navy ships have previously borne the name Montgomery. The first USS Montgomery was a sloop, or schooner, that was in service on Lake Champlain from 1813 to 1815. The second USS Montgomery was a wooden screw steamer in the Union Navy during the U.S. Civil War. USS Montgomery (C-9), the third of her name and the lead ship of her class, was an unprotected cruiser that served during the Spanish-American War and in World War I. USS Montgomery (DD-121) was a Wickes-class destroyer commissioned in 1918 and later converted to a minelayer that saw service during World War II, where she earned four battle stars for meritorious participation in battle.

Montgomery is a fast, agile, focused-mission platform designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation. LCS provides the required war fighting capabilities and operational flexibility to execute a variety of missions in areas such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare.

The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom-variant and the Independence-variant – designed and built by two industry teams. The Freedom-variant team is led by Lockheed Martin (for the odd-numbered hulls, e.g. LCS-1) while the Independence variant team is led by Austal USA (for LCS-6 and the subsequent even-numbered hulls).

The LCS seaframes will be outfitted with reconfigurable payloads, called mission modules (made up of mission systems and support equipment), which can be changed quickly. These modules combine with crew detachments and aviation assets to become complete mission packages, which will deploy manned and unmanned vehicles and sensors in support of mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare, or surface warfare missions.

The Independence Variant of the LCS Class

Independence-class