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Navy/USMC

Austal Delivers Last Independence-Variant LCS To The Navy

Tuesday, July 15th, 2025

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Austal Delivers Last Independence-Variant LCS To The Navy

The future USS Pierre (LCS-38) conducts sea trials in Mobile, Ala. in June 2025. Pierre is the 19th and final Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS). (Photo: Austal USA)

Austal USA on Friday delivered the 19th and last Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), the future USS Pierre (LCS-38), to the U.S. Navy. Austal built them and delivered this one at its Mobile, Ala., shipyard. This followed acceptance trials that concluded last month, which tested the ship’s major systems and equipment to demonstrate mission readiness (Defense Daily, June 20). A Navy statement boasted LCS-38’s acceptance trial achieved the highest measured quality score of any LCS over the past 15 years.…

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