Doreen Scott News

Austal-designed and built Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), USS Independence has officially joined the operating forces of the United States Navy following a commissioning ceremony held near Austal’s Mobile, Ala. facility. Thousands of Navy officials, politicians, industry delegates and spectators joined in welcoming USS Independence into the U.S. Navy fleet, where it will serve as a fast, agile, focused-mission platform designed for operation in near-shore environments. The ship is designed to defeat asymmetric "anti-access" threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft.

The Navy will christen littoral combat ship (LCS) at 10:00 a.m. on Oct. The name recognizes the cornerstone of our nation's foundation that so many Americans have sacrificed to ensure. Five previous ships have also had that name. The first was a 10-gun sloop that served during the War of Independence. The second , the first ship of the line in the Navy, was launched in 1814 as a 74-gun ship, but later refitted to a 54-gun frigate. The third served with the Naval Overseas Transportation Service following the end of World War I. The fourth (CVL 22), a small aircraft carrier commissioned in 1943, earned eight battle stars during World War II. The fifth (CV 62) was an aircraft carrier commissioned in 1959 and decommissioned in 1998. U.S. Sen.