US Navy to christen its newest Independence-variant LCS

The US Navy’s newest Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Oakland (LCS 24), will be christened in Mobile, Alabama, on June 29.

“The christening of the future USS Oakland marks an important step toward this great ship’s entry into the fleet,” Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer said.

To be homeported in San Diego, the future USS Oakland (LCS 24) is the third US Navy ship named for the city in California.

The newbuild is a fast, agile, focused-mission platform designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation. It is designed to defeat asymmetric “anti-access” threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft.

With a displacement of 3,200 tons, LCS 24 has a length of 127.4 meters and a beam of 31.6 meters. It can reach a speed of 40+ knots.

The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom variant and the Independence variant, designed and built by two industry teams. The Freedom variant team is led by Lockheed Martin in Marinette, Wisconsin. The Independence variant team is led by Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama.