US Navy commissions its newest Littoral Combat Ship 21 (Minneapolis-Saint Paul)

News, US May 27, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

U.S. Navy commissioned Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 21, USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul in Port of Duluth, Minnesota. USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul is the eleventh Freedom-variant LCS built by the U.S. defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

The USS Minneapolis-St. Paul is the 21st littoral combat ship in the Navy’s fleet and yt will have a crew of about 140 sailors.

Vice President and General Manager of Integrated Warfare Systems and Sensors at Lockheed Martin, Jon Rambeau said “The versatility, adaptability, and relevance USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul will bring to the fleet is unmatched. LCS 21 is ready for tomorrow’s threats, providing her crew the ability to flexibly deploy advanced capabilities that will deter our adversaries.”

According to the Lockheed Martin press release, “LCS is deployed today for close-to-shore missions and is a growing and relevant part of the Navy’s fleet. In the last year, Freedom-variant Littoral Combat ships have supported the Navy on various missions including several counter-illicit drug trafficking deployments in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in narcotics seizures.”

“Its speed, strength, and versatility make it a critical tool to help sailors achieve their missions. Recently, the Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship for the first time deployed to U.S. 6th Fleet as a measure of assurance for NATO allies and partners in Europe and Africa,” the statement added.

LCS 21, Minneapolis-Saint Paul was launched in June 2019 and completed acceptance trials in August 2020. The ship was delivered to U.S. Navy on November 18, 2021. It is the second naval ship to honor Minnesota’s Twin Cities and it will be homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.

*^{U.S. Navy commissions Littoral Combat Ship 21 Minneapolis-Saint Paul. (Image Credit: Facebook/USS Minneapolis Saint Paul Commissioning Team)}*

Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Requirements and Capabilities at the U.S. Navy, Vice Admiral Scott Conn said “Thank you all for preparing LCS-21 for this day. I recognize how special it is to be together for this milestone, and to spend this day bringing the newest ship in our fleet to life in this way. And more so, to do it in the State of her namesake cities is unique and special.”

The Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz also attended the ceremony and said that “This is a unique opportunity to gather ourselves as Minnesotans, and Americans. We’re not just a country; we’re an ideal.”

The ship is among the fastest combat ships in the Navy with a top speed of 40 knots. The Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship is a resilient, flexible warship, designed from the keel up to affordably take on new capabilities including advanced sensors, missiles, and cutting-edge cyber systems. Its speed, strength, and versatility make it a critical tool to help sailors achieve their missions.