The Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Detroit departed Naval Station Mayport, Miss., last week for its first deployment, the U.S. Navy announced.

The ship, launched in 2014, will conduct operations in support of Joint Interagency Task Force South's "Operation Martillo," a 20-nation United States, European and Western Hemisphere effort targeting illicit trafficking routes in Central American coastal waters, the Navy announced on Friday.

U.S. military participation is led by Joint Interagency Task Force South, a component of U.S. Southern Command.

The ship's operations will also involve practical exercises and exchanges with partner nations, supporting U.S. 4th Fleet.

"We hope Detroit will build relationships with that region and show that LCS is a capable warfighting platform that is ready to safeguard access to international waterways and demonstrate operating capabilities," Capt. Cory Applebee, commander of Surface Warfare Division Two One, said in a press release.

The 90-person crew includes surface warfare mission package personnel, a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment, and an aviation detachment to operate an embarked MH-60S Seahawk helicopter and two MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff Unmanned Vehicles aboard the ship. The deployment practice involves two crews, rotating every four to five months, to allow continuous presence in the region.

The littoral combat ship's foremost virtue is its shallow draft, allowing opportunities for port access and navigating in shallow water, making it the "ideal vessel for these types of engagement," the Navy said.

Lockheed nets $12M for post-delivery support on LCS USS Minneapolis-St. Paul
Washington (UPI) Nov 4, 2019 - Lockheed Martin will provide post-delivery support of the littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-St. Paul in a $12.0 million contract modification.

The award, announced Friday by the Department of Defense, exercises a modification option on a previous contract for expert design, planning and material support for the ship's post-delivery period.

Deferred design changes identified during the construction period will also be performed under the deal.

The corrections and upgrades are necessary to support the USS Minneapolis-St. Paul's sail-away and follow-on post-delivery test and trials period, a common occurrence with new Navy ships. Navy policy instructs the Chief of Naval Operations to identify any changes required after the launch of the ship, referred to as post-delivery support.

Most of the work will be performed at Lockheed Martin's Fincantieri Marinette Marine Shipyard facilities in Marinette, Wis., where the Freedom-class littoral combat ship was built.

The company was awarded the contract to build the ship in 2010. It was christened and launched there in June. Work is expected to be completed by October 2021.

The USS Minneapolis-St. Paul is the Navy's 21st ship in the class, with 14 more under construction or planned.

LCS vessels are designed to defeat asymmetric "anti-access" threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft. They are outfitted with mission packages that can deploy manned and unmanned vehicles and sensors in support of mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare or surface warfare missions.

While their shallow drafts allow them to operate in shallow water, they are equally capable of ocean-going maneuvers. The USS Minneapolis-St. Paul has a steel hull and aluminum superstructure. It is 388 feet long and carries 51 personnel.

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