USS Little Rock

Navy Tries to Cut Four Littoral Combat Ships to Save $186M in FY 22 Budget

The crew of USS Little Rock (LCS-9) man the rails during the ship’s commissioning ceremony Dec. 16, 2017 in Buffalo, N.Y. US Navy Photo

The Navy wants to cut four Littoral Combat Ships from the fleet as part of a cost-saving measure that will net the service $186 million, according to the service’s latest budget request.

The request to cull the ships from the battle force inventory comes despite criticism from Congress over last year’s proposal to retire the first four Littoral Combat Ships early.

https://news.usni.org/2021/05/28/navy-tries-to-cut-four-littoral-combat-ships-to-save-186m-in-fy-22-budget

Lawmakers Quiz SOUTHCOM’s Faller on Littoral Combat Ship Program

The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Sioux City (LCS 11), transits the Caribbean Sea, April 10, 2021. Sioux City is deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations to support Joint Interagency Task Force South’s mission, which includes counter-illicit drug trafficking missions in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. US Navy Photo

Two lawmakers raised questions on the future of the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship during a Wednesday hearing, as the service continues to wrestle with a crucial...

https://news.usni.org/2021/04/14/lawmakers-quiz-southcoms-faller-on-littoral-combat-ship-program

Faller: Navy Deployments to SOUTHCOM About More Than Just Drug Trafficking

Sailors man the rails aboard the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Little Rock (LCS-9) on Feb. 6, 2020

THE PENTAGON – A renewed presence of U.S. warships in Southern Command has military dimensions beyond providing a platform for law enforcement to interdict drug traffickers, the SOUTHCOM commander told USNI News this week.

On Thursday, Littoral Combat Ship USS Little Rock (LCS-9) left for its maiden deployment in the region. It’s the second LCS deployment to SOUTHCOM within the last year,...

https://news.usni.org/2020/02/07/faller-navy-deployments-to-southcom-about-more-than-just-drug-trafficking

Littoral Combat Ship Will Field Laser Weapon as Part of Lockheed Martin, Navy Test

Littoral combat ship Little Rock (LCS 9) is underway during a high-speed run in Lake Michigan during acceptance trials. Lockheed Martin Photo

The Navy will put a laser weapon on a Littoral Combat Ship for the first time this year, amid efforts to boost the LCS’s lethality and to develop and field a family of laser systems.

USS Little Rock (LCS-9) will receive a laser weapon during its upcoming deployment, Commander of Naval Surface Forces Vice Adm. Richard Brown told reporters. The ship will...

https://news.usni.org/2020/01/13/littoral-combat-ship-will-field-laser-weapon-as-part-of-lockheed-martin-navy-test

The State of LCS: Navy Pushing More Ships to Sea This Fall as Class Matures

Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Kerri Corcoran, assigned to the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS-8), prepares to throw out a line while a tug boat comes alongside Montgomery to escort it into Davao City, Philippines on June 29, 2019. US Navy Photo

This is the first of a two-part series on the current state of the Littoral Combat Ship program.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Five years from now, there may be as many Littoral Combat Ships deployed as there are destroyers. 

The ships are...

https://news.usni.org/2019/09/05/the-state-of-lcs-navy-pushing-more-ships-to-sea-this-fall-as-class-matures

LCS Billings Commander Removed After Hitting Merchant Ship in Montreal

Screen capture of a video showing Billings strike a moored cargo ship.

The commander of a Littoral Combat Ship that hit a moored ship in the St Lawrence River in Canada has been removed from command, USNI News has learned.

Cmdr. Michael Johnson was removed from command of the yet-to-be commissioned Billings (LCS-15) on Friday, a Surface Force Atlantic spokeswoman told USNI News on Saturday morning.

“Capt. Shawn Johnston, commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron Two (LCSRON 2), relieved PCU Billings

https://news.usni.org/2019/06/29/lcs-billings-commander-removed-after-hitting-merchant-ship-in-montreal

Littoral Combat Ship Billings Still in Montreal After Hitting a Moored Ship

Screen capture of a video showing Billings strike a moored cargo ship.

Littoral Combat Ship Billings (LCS-15) is pier-side in Montreal undergoing repairs after making contact with a merchant ship on Friday, Navy officials told USNI News on Wednesday.

The Freedom-class LCS, delivered to the Navy in February, was leaving its slip when it allided with the bulk carrier Rosaire Desgagnes, according to a video of the incident reviewed by USNI News.

The LCS was under the assistance of two tugs when the...

https://news.usni.org/2019/06/26/littoral-combat-ship-billings-still-in-montreal-after-hitting-a-moored-ship

Navy Set to Restart LCS Deployments this Year, Despite Challenges in Manning, Training

USS Wichita (LCS-13) conducts acceptance trials on Lake Michigan on July 11, 2018. Lockheed Martin photo.

The Navy is optimistic it will deploy three Littoral Combat Ships by this fall, after not deploying any last year and grappling with significant gaps in manning and advanced training.

The service was supposed to push forward three ships in Fiscal Year 2018, after a 2016 overhaul of LCS homeporting, command and control and manning constructs. However, USNI News first reported in April 2018...

https://news.usni.org/2019/01/14/navy-confident-in-lcs-deployments-this-year-despite-challenges-in-manning-training