The US Navy has officially commissioned its final Independence-class littoral combat ship, the USS Pierre (LCS 38), in Panama City, Florida.
Developed by Austal USA, the platform is the 19th vessel of the program and the second to bear the South Dakota city’s name after a submarine chaser, which entered into service in the 1940s.
The new Pierre will be home-ported in San Diego, California, and undertake missions against multi-domain threats in near-shore and open-ocean domains.
Larissa Thune Hargens, a native of South Dakota and a Bethel University political science and history alumna, served as the ship’s sponsor during the ceremony.
Her father is South Dakota Senator John Thune, while her grandfather, Harold Thune, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross during his service as a naval aviator in the Second World War.
“It is a vessel of protection and safety, of hope and freedom, carrying the collective values of honor, courage, and commitment of those who built it and of those men and women who will serve on it — the very same qualities exhibited by my late grandfather,” Hargens said.
“It is a privilege to be a part of this legacy in such a meaningful way, and it is humbling to stand up here among our heroes in uniform who defend and protect our freedoms each and every day.”
Almost Complete
The Independence fleet was developed in parallel with the Freedom-class littoral combat ships under Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine.
Although they share similar capabilities, the Freedom vessels are slightly shorter than the Independence class. They are also faster and carry more personnel.
The 16th and final ship in the Freedom series, the USS Cleveland (LCS 31), is scheduled to be commissioned in 2026.
The Independence Surface Combatant
The US Navy’s Independence warship is 418 feet (127 meters) in length and has a beam of 104 feet (32 meters).
It offers space for more than 70 personnel, an attack helicopter, and unmanned aerial systems.
The vessel is armed with electronic warfare systems, a 57-millimeter automatic naval gun, 30-millimeter guns, support machine guns, as well as anti-ship and land-attack missiles.
The platform runs with General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, MTU diesel engines, and diesel generators for a top speed of 44 knots (51 miles/81 kilometers) and a range of 4,300 nautical miles (4,948 miles/7,964 kilometers).
