Acceptance trials for future USS Oakland LCS-24 Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship


The Future USS Oakland (LCS-24) Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) has left Austal on May 20, 2020, for acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico. Oakland was built by Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. The keel laying ceremony was held at the Austal USA shipyards in Mobile on 20 July 2018. The vessel was launched on 21 July 2019 from Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama.
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Acceptance trials for future USS Oakland LCS 24 Independence class Littoral Combat Ship 925 001 Future USS Oakland (LCS-24) Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship has left Austal on May 20, 2020, for acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico. (Picture source Twitter account Austal USA)


The future USS Oakland (LCS 24) Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) was launched on July 21, 2019 at Austal USA's ship manufacturing facility in Mobile, Alabama. This event marked the first time the ship floated in the water as it is prepared for delivery next year.

The future USS Oakland is the 12th of 19 Independence-variant littoral combat ships (LCSs) that will join the fleet. Ship sponsor Kate Brandt, Google's sustainability officer, christened the vessel in Mobile on June 29. She previously welded her initials onto a steel plate included in Oakland's hull during a keel laying ceremony on July 20, 2018. Brandt is a recipient of the Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest award the U.S. Navy can give to a civilian.

The littoral combat ship is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, while capable of open-ocean tasking and winning against 21st-century coastal threats such as submarines, mines, and swarming small craft. They are capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control and deterrence.

The Independence class is a class of littoral combat ships built for the United States Navy. The ship is based on a trimaran design with a slender stabilized mono-hull, originally built by an industry team led by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works for LCS 2 and LCS 4. Currently, Independence variant LCS (LCS 6 and subsequent even-numbered hulls) are constructed by Austal USA in the company's Mobile, Alabama, shipyard.

The armament of USS Oakland includes BAE Systems Mk 110 57 mm, 4 12.7mm heavy machine guns and Evolved SeaRAM 11 cell missile launcher.

The Littoral Combat Ship is configured with a helicopter deck and hangar. The deck can launch and recover the MH-60R/S helicopter and a tactical unmanned air vehicle. The crew size will be between 15 and 50 and accommodation is provided for up to 75 ship and special mission crew.