Little Rock completes acceptance trials
Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine have successfully completed acceptance trials on the US Navy’s future Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Little Rock.
USS Little Rock is the fifth Freedom-variant LCS built by Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine.
The five-day trials, conducted in port and at sea by the US Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey, signify the last major milestone before the ship's delivery.
During the trials, the navy conducted comprehensive tests of the LCS to demonstrate the performance of the propulsion plant, ship handling and auxiliary systems.
The team is currently in full-rate production of the Freedom-variant of the LCS and has delivered four ships to the US Navy to date. The future USS Little Rock is one of eight ships in various stages of construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine, with one more in long-lead production.
Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine are now preparing Little Rock for delivery in the coming weeks. The ship will be commissioned later this year in Buffalo, New York.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Future of the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke programme remains unclear]()
Future of the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke programme remains unclear
The US Navy does not have a precise date for the award of the procurement contract for the third Arleigh Burke-class destroyer despite having the funds to advance with the programme in FY2025.
-
![US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes]()
US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes
The US Navy (USN) is currently reassessing its acquisition efforts and seeking ways to reduce the multiple delays across the shipbuilding initiatives.
-
![Australia commissions HMAS Arafura three-and-a-half years behind schedule]()
Australia commissions HMAS Arafura three-and-a-half years behind schedule
The Royal Australian Navy has finally commissioned the first Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel – more than three years behind schedule – highlighting the programme’s delays, design compromises and ongoing industrial restructuring.
-
![Italy orders two ships as work begins on others along with deliveries and updates]()
Italy orders two ships as work begins on others along with deliveries and updates
The Italian Navy is being refreshed with two new ships ordered, while in the past six months steel was cut for a new frigate, an enhanced frigate was delivered and Horizon-class frigates passed a design review.
