First Littoral Combat Ship Commissioned By U.S. Navy

The nation's first Littoral Combat Ship -USS Freedom (LCS 1)- was commissioned by the U.S. Navy in Milwaukee, WI today, officially placing the Lockheed Martin-designed and constructed vessel into active service.

The agile 378-foot USS Freedom - a survivable, semi-planing steel monohull - will help the Navy defeat growing littoral, or close-to-shore, threats and provide access and dominance in coastal water battlespace.

Displacing approximately 3,000 metric tons and reaching speeds well over 40 knots, USS Freedom is a fast, maneuverable and networked surface combatant with operational flexibility to execute focused missions such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare and the potential for a wide range of additional missions including maritime interdiction and humanitarian/disaster relief.

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