Littoral Combat Ship 21 (future USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul) completes acceptance trials

MARINETTE, WI - Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 21, the future USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul, completed acceptance trials in Lake Michigan. Trials included a full-power run, maneuverability testing, and surface and air detect-to-engage demonstrations of the ship's combat system. Major systems and features were demonstrated, including aviation support, small boat launch handling and recovery and machinery control and automation. Now that trials are complete, the ship will undergo final outfitting and fine-tuning before delivery to the U.S. Navy. LCS 21 is the eleventh Freedom-variant LCS designed and built by the Lockheed Martin-led industry team and is slated for delivery to the Navy early next year.

“LCS 21 joins a fleet of sister ships delivering unique flexibility and capability to the U.S. Navy,” said Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager, Small Combatants and Ship Systems. “Freedom-variant LCS are inherently capable to serve freedom of navigation, drug interdiction and humanitarian missions, and with additional capabilities onboarded, they can serve further focused missions. On LCS 21’s acceptance trials, we successfully tested the ship’s maneuverability, automation and core combat capability.”

Unique among combat ships, the focused-mission LCS is designed to support mine countermeasures, anti-submarine and surface warfare missions and is easily adapted to serve future and evolving missions. The Freedom-variant LCS is:

• Flexible — Forty percent of the hull is easily reconfigurable, able to integrate Longbow Hellfire Missiles, 30 mm guns, manned and unmanned vehicles designed to meet today's and tomorrow's missions.
• Lethal — LCS is standard equipped with Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM) and a Mark 110 gun, capable of firing 220 rounds per minute.
• Powerful — LCS has gas turbines, diesel engines and water jets that together generate 114,000 horsepower making LCS capable of speeds in excess of 40 knots.
• Automated — LCS has the most efficient staffing of any combat ship.

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Source: Lockheed Martin Corporation

1/3: The newest Navy ship, named for Minneapolis and Saint Paul, completed the last major milestone before delivery to the U.S. Navy fleet. The ship completed acceptance trials – an event where the Navy takes the ship on a test drive and tests it’s capabilities to ensure the ship is ready for delivery. The Lockheed Martin-led team building the ship will complete final preparations to deliver the ship in early 2021. Also in 2021, the ship will be commissioned into active service in the fleet.

2/3: The newest Navy ship, named for Minneapolis and Saint Paul, completed the last major milestone before delivery to the U.S. Navy fleet. The ship completed acceptance trials – an event where the Navy takes the ship on a test drive and tests it’s capabilities to ensure the ship is ready for delivery. The Lockheed Martin-led team building the ship will complete final preparations to deliver the ship in early 2021. Also in 2021, the ship will be commissioned into active service in the fleet.

3/3: The newest Navy ship, named for Minneapolis and Saint Paul, completed the last major milestone before delivery to the U.S. Navy fleet. The ship completed acceptance trials – an event where the Navy takes the ship on a test drive and tests it’s capabilities to ensure the ship is ready for delivery. The Lockheed Martin-led team building the ship will complete final preparations to deliver the ship in early 2021. Also in 2021, the ship will be commissioned into active service in the fleet.