BOSTON — A new warship joins the fleet.
The Navy last weekend commissioned the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LSC) USS Nantucket (LCS 27) in Boston, Massachusetts.
“The crew, along with our industry partners, have worked tirelessly over the past several years to bring the USS Nantucket (LCS 27) to life, and I am proud of each of them for their contributions and service," said Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro. "Nantucket already made an impact when she supported a U.S. Coast Guard operation in October in Lake Erie. I take great pride in knowing that Nantucket represents the future of our Fleet and Force -- equipped with advanced technology and sailed by our Navy’s best and brightest crews.”
But the Government Accountability Office has found major failures in the LCS program that have led to multiple breakdowns, noting: "The Navy hasn't demonstrated that this type of ship can perform its intended missions."
Despite that, the ship's executive officer said Saturday that the Nantucket and crew are "tested and battle-ready."
During the ceremony, Commander Angela Eickelmann said: "Over the last three years, the crew has spent thousands and thousands of hours training in schoolhouses throughout the country to learn the equipment. They have diligently worked over the last seven months to certify the ship for safe operations."
The Nantucket is the 14th Freedom-variant LCS commissioned in the United States Navy and the third U.S. Navy ship to bear this name.
The LCS class consists of two variants: the Freedom and the Independence, designed and built by two industry teams. Lockheed Martin leads the Freedom-variant team, building the odd-numbered hulls in Marinette, Wisconsin. Austal USA leads the Independence-variant team in Mobile, Alabama, constructing LCS 6 and the subsequent even-numbered hulls.
Littoral combat ships like Nantucket will be equipped with Over the Horizon – Weapons System (OTH-WS) Naval Strike Missile (NSM). The OTH NSM provides the U.S. and its allies with long-range anti-surface offensive strike capability as well as increased coastline defense, deterrence, and interoperability.
The Navy said littoral combat ships "are fast, optimally manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that operate in both near-shore and open-ocean environments, countering 21st-century coastal threats. LCS ships integrate with joint, combined, manned, and unmanned teams to support forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe."
The Nantucket will be home-ported at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.