Penultimate Independence-Variant LCS Commissioned

The U.S. Navy commissioned Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Kingsville (LCS 36) at the Solomon P. Ortiz Center, on August 24.

Kingsville, the 18th Independence-variant LCS, is the first to bear this name and pays homage to the city of Kingsville and the King Ranch. The ship’s sponsor is a member of the sixth generation of the King Ranch family, descendants of steamboat captain Richard King who founded in the King Ranch in Kingsville in 1853. The King Ranch continues to foster a relationship with Naval Air Station Kingsville which was founded in 1942 and is located three miles from the city’s center.

The Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Kingsville at Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, March 1.

Following Kingsville, the future USS Pierre (LCS 38) is the last Independence-variant LCS under construction at Austal USA, as the LCS production line approaches its planned closure. USS Pierre was launched on August 5.

The LCS class consists of two variants, Freedom and Independence, designed and built by two separate industry teams. The trimaran-hulled Independence-variant team is led by Austal USA (for the even-numbered ships). The monohull Freedom variant is built by a team led by Lockheed Martin (for the odd-numbered ships).

Independence-variant littoral combat ships are fast, optimally manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that operate in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. LCS integrate with joint combined, manned and unmanned teams to support forward presence, maritime security, sea control and deterrence missions around the globe.