MOBILE, Ala. — The Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey awarded the future USS Cincinnati (LCS 20) a “93”—the highest score to date for an Independence variant—after successfully completing acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico Feb. 8.
“In 35 trials with the Board of Inspection and Survey, this is the best one I’ve seen,” said Capt. Mike Taylor, LCS program manager.
Acceptance trials are the last significant milestone before the ship is delivered to the Navy, which is planned for this summer. During trials, the Navy conducted comprehensive tests of LCS 20’s systems to demonstrate the performance of the propulsion plant, ship-handling and auxiliary systems.
"I can’t say enough about the positive results achieved by the Navy and industry team during these acceptance trials of the future USS Cincinnati,” said Taylor. “She’s well into her journey to be delivered to the Navy this summer and will provide needed and cost-effective warfighting capability to the fleet and the nation."
LCS is now the second-largest U.S. Navy surface ship class in production, second only to the Arleigh Burke class, with a total of 28 ships either in the fleet or in production.
Following delivery and commissioning, the Navy will homeport Cincinnati in San Diego with sister ships USS Independence (LCS 2), USS Coronado (LCS 4), USS Jackson (LCS 6), USS Montgomery (LCS 8), USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10), USS Omaha (LCS 12), USS Manchester (LCS 14), USS Tulsa (LCS 16) and USS Charleston (LCS 18).
Four more Independence-variant ships are under construction at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. Final assembly is well underway on the future USS Kansas City (LCS 22) and Oakland (LCS 24). Modules for the future USS Mobile (LCS 26) are under construction in the module manufacturing facility and construction on the future USS Savannah (LCS 28) commenced last summer. Additionally, Austal is preparing for construction of the future USS Canberra (LCS 30), Santa Barbara (LCS 32), Augusta (LCS 34), Kingsville (LCS 36) and Pierre (LCS 38).
LCS is a highly maneuverable, lethal and adaptable ship designed to support focused mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare missions. The Independence-variant LCS integrates new technology and capability to affordably support current and future mission capability, from deep water to the littorals.
- NAVSEA -