MOBILE, Alabama - The Navy accepted delivery of the
future USS Jackson (LCS 6) during a ceremony at the Austal USA shipyard in
Mobile, Alabama, Aug. 11.
Jackson is the fifth littoral combat ship (LCS) to be
delivered to the Navy, the third of the Independence variant to join the fleet.
Capt. Warren R. Buller II, commander, Littoral Combat
Ship Squadron One was on hand to mark the occasion.
"We are pleased to receive the future USS Jackson
into the LCS class," Buller said. "Jackson will operate out of
Mayport, Florida, while conducting full ship shock trials, prior to joining her
sister littoral combat ships in their homeport of San Diego in late 2016."
Delivery marks the official transfer of LCS 6 from the
shipbuilder, an Austal USA-led team, to the Navy. It is the final milestone
prior to commissioning, which is planned for December 2015 in Gulfport,
Mississippi.
"Today marks a significant milestone in the life of
the future USS Jackson, an exceptional ship which will conduct anti-submarine,
surface and mine countermeasure operations around the globe with ever
increasing mission package capability" said LCS program manager Capt. Tom
Anderson. "It also marks a
significant milestone for the LCS program, as the first of 20 LCS block buy
ships delivers to the Navy. It is exciting to see these capable, yet
affordable, ships transitioning from serial production to serial
delivery."
Following commissioning and shock trials, Jackson will be
homeported in San Diego with her sister ships USS Freedom (LCS 1), USS
Independence (LCS 2), USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), and USS Coronado (LCS 4).
The LCS class is designed to defeat threats in coastal
waters where increasingly capable submarines, mines, and swarming small craft
operate. To deliver capabilities against these threats, the Navy introduced LCS
with innovative concepts, such as modular mission packages, to quickly respond
to an evolving threat.
Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ships is
responsible for delivering and sustaining the fleet's littoral mission
capabilities. Consistent delivery of high-quality warfighting assets, while
balancing affordability and capability, is key to supporting the Navy's
Maritime Strategy.