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APRIL 21, 2023 

Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) released its annual Freedom of Navigation (FON) Report for Fiscal Year 2022. During the period from October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2022, U.S. forces operationally challenged 22 different excessive maritime claims made by 15 different claimants throughout the world. 

Excessive maritime claims are inconsistent with international law as reflected in the Law of the Sea Convention. They include a variety of restrictions on the exercise of navigation and overflight rights and other freedoms. Unlawful maritime claims – or incoherent theories of maritime entitlements – pose a threat to the legal foundation of the rules-based international order. If left unchallenged, excessive maritime claims could limit the rights and freedoms enjoyed by every nation.  

Upholding freedom of navigation as a principle supports unimpeded lawful commerce and the global mobility of U.S. forces. DoD’s freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs) demonstrate that the United States will fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows. 

DoD’s regular and routine operational challenges complements diplomatic engagements by the U.S. State Department and supports the longstanding U.S. national interest in freedom of the seas worldwide.  

Each year, DoD releases an unclassified summarized FON Report identifying the broad range of excessive maritime claims that are challenged by U.S. forces. It also includes general geographic information to describe the location of FON assertions while still maintaining operational security of U.S. military forces. This report demonstrates U.S. non-acquiescence to excessive maritime claims —wherever they may be. 

As long as restrictions on navigation and overflight rights and freedoms that exceed the authority provided under international law persist, the United States will continue to challenge such unlawful maritime claims. 

The United States will uphold the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea for the benefit of all nations—and will stand with like-minded partners doing the same.  

DoD FON Reports are available at http://policy.defense.gov/OUSDPOffices/FON.aspx. 

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21 April 2023  

MANAMA, Bahrain — A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer interdicted a fishing vessel attempting to smuggle $42 million in illegal drugs while transiting the Gulf of Oman, April 21. 

USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) was operating in support of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 when it discovered the fishing vessel smuggling 802 kilograms of methamphetamine and 1,000 kilograms of hashish. CTF 150 is one of four task forces under Combined Maritime Forces, a multinational naval partnership consisting of 38 nations. 
 
Before U.S. Navy and Coast Guard members from Paul Hamilton seized the vessel, five smugglers on board attempted to discard 50 bags of methamphetamine weighing 35 pounds each by throwing the drugs overboard. Some of the bags were able to be recovered from the water. 
 
The vessel’s crewmembers identified themselves as Iranian nationals. 
 
“This was outstanding work by the entire Paul Hamilton team,” said Capt. Anthony Webber, commander of Task Force 55 and responsible for overseeing U.S. maritime surface operations in the Middle East. “These interdictions remove illicit narcotics from the high seas and help deter destabilizing activity in regional waters.” 
 
In 2023, maritime forces supporting CTF 150 have seized illegal drugs worth a combined estimated U.S. street value of $150 million, adding to record-breaking drug interdictions by U.S. and international naval units in 2021 and 2022 totaling $1 billion in value. 
 
“I am incredibly pleased with the performance of our Sailors,” said Cmdr. Jake Ferrari, commanding officer of Paul Hamilton. “We remain committed to delivering consistent maritime security and countering illicit activities and contraband smuggling in the region.” 
 
CTF 150 conducts maritime security and counter-terrorism operations in the Gulf of Oman and Indian Ocean to disrupt criminal and terrorist organizations and their related illicit activities, including the movement of personnel, weapons, narcotics and charcoal. These efforts help ensure legitimate commercial shipping transits the region free from non-state threats. 
 
Combined Maritime Forces is the largest multinational naval partnership in the world whose partner forces operate in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Northern Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf to promote regional security and stability. 

Flight Ops in Washington, D.C. — A Century Ago!  

By David F. Winkler 

In his book Selling Sea Power: Public Relations and the U.S. Navy, 1917-1941, Ryan Wadle lamented that following World War I, the Navy’s culture inhibited its leaders from publicly advocating for a strong navy to defend the nation and interests abroad. The Washington Naval Conference of 1921–22, which led to the scrapping of battleships under construction and other tonnage restrictions, should have served as a wake-up call. Yet the Navy maintained its public reputation as “the Silent Service.” Instead, Navy leadership looked for others to champion sea power. This past October 27 marked the centennial of Navy Day. Long credited as a Navy League of the United States initiative, Navy Day fell on the birthday of the recently deceased President Theodore Roosevelt — a staunch supporter of sea power. In Selling Sea Power, Wadle exposed the behind-the-scene role of the Office of Naval Intelligence to coordinate with the Navy League to create a day of national sea power celebration.  

The Navy’s First Aircraft Carrier 

One naval leader who broke the silent-service mold was Rear Admiral William Moffett. Recently selected to head the new Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer), Moffett found his new fiefdom was being challenged by Brigadire General Billy Mitchell, who argued for a consolidation of Army and Navy air components into a new service along the lines of what had been accomplished in Britain with the establishment of the Royal Air Force towards the end of World War I. In his advocacy for a separate service, Mitchell was a publicity-generating machine and exploited the aerial bombings of decommissioned German and American battleships off the Virginia Capes to argue his case before Congress. 

Fortunately for Moffett, his publicity toolbox had recently taken on a big addition with the recommissioning of the former collier USS Jupiter as the Navy’s first aircraft carrier, USS Langley. With the first launching and landing of airplanes occurring just prior to the first Navy Day in October 1922, Moffett made sure camera crews from all major media outlets were on hand to capture the events. As for that first Navy Day celebration in Norfolk, Langley welcomed thousands of visitors who desired to see the ship they had been reading about in the newspapers.  

With cold weather arriving, Langley left for Pensacola to further develop flight operation protocols and increase capacity to land and launch ever larger and heavier aircraft. When warmer weather returned to the Mid-Atlantic, Langley departed Pensacola to return to Norfolk, anchoring at Hampton Roads late on May 28. The next morning Langley moored starboard side to pier 2 at the Naval Operating Base in Norfolk. Captain S.H.R. Doyle departed the ship for the nation’s capital to meet with Moffett and other Navy officials to preview a forthcoming ploy to impress national leaders and the public about naval aviation during annual Shriners Week celebrations scheduled for mid-June in the nation’s capital. Moffett had already arranged for an impressive static display of 10 naval aircraft including NC-4 to be placed around the base of the Washington Monument. Flyovers would be conducted by Anacostia- and Quantico-based Navy and Marine Corps aircraft. Moffett wanted Langley’s planes to join the mix. Earlier in May the BuAer chief had recommended to the CNO, Admiral Robert E. Coontz, that Langley be part of the showcase as the flight demonstrations would put, “the accomplishments of the Navy and naval aviation before the people throughout the country.” Upon completion of the meetings, Doyle returned to Norfolk to prepare his ship for a relatively short journey.  

Departing Norfolk on the morning of June 1, Langley reached the mouth of the Potomac River at 3 p.m. with the minesweeper Sandpiper following astern. Not desiring to arrive in the nation’s capital before sunrise, Langley anchored off Blackstone Island off Southern Maryland at 10:30 p.m. and then raised the hook just before 4 a.m. to proceed upriver. At 8:20 a.m. wind conditions were acceptable to launch four aircraft piloted by Lieutenant Commander Griffin, Lieutenant Dillon, Lieutenant James R. Kyle, Jr., and Boatswain Feher to fly ahead to NAS Anacostia. At 9:23 a.m., with Mount Vernon and the tomb of the first president off the port beam, Langley rendered honors as prescribed in Navy Regulations. At 11:11 a.m., Langley moored starboard side to the berth at the Washington Navy Yard. Waiting ashore were the four pilots who had flown off three hours earlier.  

USS Langley Wows Washington 

On Sunday, June 3, the crew of the Langley welcomed 1,198 Washingtonians and others to tour their unique vessel. The next day, Langley casted off from the Navy Yard and proceeded to a spot off Hains Point, a short distance away from the Army War College at Fort McNair. Once anchored, the presidential yacht Mayflower came alongside. In addition to President Warren G. Harding, Moffett, the Navy’s General Board and several other dignitaries worked their way up to the flight deck to observe Lieutenant Commander Griffin, Lieutenant Brow, Ensign C.D. Palmer, and Boatswain Feher take off and land with their Navy biplanes. With the flight demonstration’s successful conclusion, the visiting dignitaries departed, and Langley returned to the Navy Yard. 

On Tuesday, Langley’s flight demonstrations recommenced off Hains Point as the Shriners Convention kicked off with a parade of 25,000 marchers and one of Langley’s Vought aircraft, pulled along by 30 of the ship’s crew. Flight operations continued for the next few days with only minor weather disruptions. Following another weekend at the Navy Yard with heavy visitation, the Mayflower came alongside during a torrent of rain. Captain Doyle again welcomed the president and members of his cabinet for a Monday tour lasting 45 minutes. At 4:02 the next morning, Langley hauled in lines from the Navy Yard dock for the last time as she headed down the Anacostia and the Potomac to return to Hampton Roads that evening. Following an overnight anchoring, Langley once again returned to Naval Operating Base for some maintenance and repair work. 

Back in Washington, President Harding felt “stronger than ever” about the Navy’s plans for fleet aviation and reconfirmed his support for funding to convert the planned battlecruisers Lexington and Saratoga into operational aircraft carriers. Moffett appreciated presidential support, but it was Congress who paid the bills. To further press his case to Congress and other internal and external constituencies, Moffett became open to the concept of transitioning Langley from an experimental to an operational carrier. Admiral Coontz formalized the concept when, on June 25, 1923, he signed the notice titled “Naval Aeronautical Organization for Fiscal Year 1924.” Put into place just six days prior to the start of the 1924 fiscal year, the document, drafted by Moffett’s bureau, spelled out intent to transfer Langley to San Diego to serve as flagship for the Commander, Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet. In the interim, the CNO directed “…Langley will conduct flying-off and flying-on experiments with operating allowance of airplanes previously authorized.”  

Ironically, the success of Langley’s visit to Washington undermined the timetable for getting the ship to the West Coast. Nearly two weeks prior to Coontz signing off on the 1924 plan for aeronautics, the CNO’s biweekly operations conference that brought together representatives of the various bureaus featured Langley as the lead item. Citing the success of the experimental carrier’s DC port call, the minutes recorded: “We are now trying to arrange a trip for the Langley along the New England Coast this Summer for exhibition purposes.” With port visits to New York, Newport, Portland, Portsmouth, and Boston, Langley would sell the viability of naval aviation to tens of thousands of onlookers who gasped in amazement as biplanes continuously lifted off and then turned around and landed on the ship that eventually gained the moniker “The Covered Wagon.”  

David F. Winkler provides content for the weekly Tuesday Tidings naval history e-letter sent out by the National Maritime Historical Society. Visit www.seahistory.org to get on the distribution list. 

Sources: Ryan D. Wadle, Selling Sea Power: Public Relations and the U.S. Navy, 1917-1941, University of Oklahoma Press (2019); Deck Logs USS Langley National Archives Washington DC.  

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The U.S. Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport has awarded Saab the first production order for the Expendable Mobile Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Target (EMATT). This contract follows an award from September 30, 2022 to perform modernization and validation testing of the EMATT system. This production order has a value of approx. USD $9 million (100 million SEK), which was booked in Q1 2023. The overall EMATT contract has a potential value of USD $173 million (1.79 BSEK) over a 10-year ordering period.  

Under the current order, Saab will manufacture 1,200 EMATT units for the U.S. Navy from its new production facility in Cranston, Rhode Island.  

“This award validates the trust and confidence the U.S. Navy has placed in Saab to deliver on our commitments. Our EMATT system has significant improvements over the legacy design, including a next generation electronics architecture along with significantly improved navigation and control. We are pleased to work with our subcontractors SyQwest, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and OASIS, a subsidiary of Thayer Mahan, on the improved MK39 EMATT,” said Erik Smith, President and CEO of Saab in the U.S.   

The MK39 EMATT is a less than 25 pound sonobuoy-size device programmed for various anti-submarine warfare training scenarios. As a small, expendable system, Saab’s EMATT is an important enhancement to the U.S. Navy’s training program, providing improved reliability and significant cost savings for the US Navy customer. The MK39 EMATT incorporates a technology refresh into the design and provides the U.S. Navy, as well as several allied navies, a robust acoustic exercise target to train sonar operators from naval surface ships, submarines, and aircraft.  

Release from Carrier Strike Group One 

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By Story by Ensign Valentine Mulango 

PACIFIC OCEAN –  Group Sail is an integrated training exercise conducted between units assigned to Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1. The exercise reintegrated the strike group and provided an opportunity to enhance excellence and increase the lethality and tactical proficiency of U.S. Navy units operating in the 3rd Fleet area of operations.  

Led by its flagship, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), units assigned to CSG-1 engaged in cross-functional training across multiple domains for maximum effectiveness, including enhanced maritime security operations, anti-submarine warfare operations, flight operations, replenishments-at-sea and counter piracy operations, to hone in on maritime integrated-at-sea operations and combat readiness.  

“In Group Sail we rehearsed and integrated under the direction of Carrier Strike Group 15. During this underway we achieved some important firsts, and we are setting the course for future strike groups to scale these achievements,” said Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, commander, CSG-1.  
  
“I am especially proud that the strike group and carrier air wing achieved Blue Water Certification during this phase of training; an achievement that usually comes later in the readiness cycle. This certification means we can choose to operate in any ocean around the world, today.”  

The ships and aircraft of the Vinson CSG, made up of more than 5,000 collective Sailors, executed surface and air engagements in a complex maritime environment to demonstrate the strike group’s ability to deliver powerful maritime force in order to respond to coercive behavior from those who seek to challenge the rules-based international order or destabilize the Indo-Pacific.  

“We are providing U.S. Pacific Fleet with a ready, resilient, combat-credible force and underscoring to our competitors that today is not the day to test us,” said Sardiello.  

Integrated maritime engagements and operations are part of the group’s routine presence in the Indo-Pacific. The Vinson CSG last conducted a Group Sail in 2021 in the Southern California operating area.  

CSG-1 consists of aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 1, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) and the Henry J. Kaiser-class Fleet replenishment ship USNS Pecos (T-AO 197).  
Participating DESRON-1 ships included the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Hopper (DDG 70), USS Kidd (DDG 100), USS Sterett (DDG 104), and USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110). 

Participating CVW-2 squadrons included the “War Hawks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 97, the “Bounty Hunters” of VFA-2, the “Stingers” of VFA-113, the “Golden Dragons” of VFA-192, the “Gauntlets” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 136, the “Black Eagles” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 113, the “Titans” of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30, the “Black Knights” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 4, and the “Blue Hawks” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 78. 

For more news from CSG-1, visit www.dvidshub.net/unit/CSG1. 

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01), Vice Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, released the following statement in response to the Navy’s recently released 30-year shipbuilding plan:  

“With this 30-year shipbuilding plan, the Navy demonstrates that it has lost its way. It trades decisive and bold decision-making for endless studies, vast short-term risk, and fails to reckon with the threats we face. The future of our nation’s fleet is not a multiple-choice test in which the Navy can choose ‘all of the above.’ At no point do any of the three plans deliver a path to generating 31 traditional L-class amphibs, as required by law. Our destroyers and frigates are short-changed. Two of the proposed plans would shrink the amphibious fleet in total to just 26 ships by FY35. Within the Davidson window—the period between now and 2027 where we anticipate the greatest risk of Beijing moving to forcibly reunify with Taiwan – each of the plans results in our attack submarine fleet contracting to 48 subs by FY26 and only one of the provided alternatives reaches the requirement of 66 submarines FY49. Additionally, our undersea vertical launch system capacity, surface VLS capacity, and torpedo capacity are all set to decline between now and 2030. This is unacceptable.”  

Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he serves as the Vice Chairman of the full committee and as the Chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. 

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ARLINGTON, Va. — A senator used a congressional hearing to point out that the Navy would be violating the law by letting the number of amphibious warships drop below a Congressionally mandated level of 31 in fiscal year 2024. 

The President’s 2024 budget calls for the decommissioning of three Whidbey Island-class old dock landing ships and not procuring any Flight II San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships (LPDs) over the next five years to replace them. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2023 requires the Nay to maintain a fleet of 31 large and medium-size amphibious warfare ships. 

In an otherwise convivial April 18 hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a reserve Marine Corps colonel, confronted Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro about the Navy’s shipbuilding plans.  

“The 30-year [shipbuilding] plan shows that the Navy has no intention of meeting this statutory requirement, ” Sullivan said, noting that he worked with Marine Corps Commandant General David H. Berger to legislate the requirement into the law, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2023, a requirement which Berger affirmed during the hearing. 

During the hearing, Sullivan read an excerpt from the law: “The naval combat forces of the Navy shall include not less than 11 operational aircraft carriers and not less than 31 operational amphibious warfare ships of which not less than 10 shall be amphibious assault ships.” 

The senator said he sympathized with Berger’s awkward position.  

“I want to compliment the commandant,” Sullivan said. “It’s not easy to be sitting next to your boss saying, ‘We need this.’ Your boss obviously doesn’t agree, General.” 

Taking note of all of the planned studies and analysis on the subject, Sullivan declared all of it irrelevant in that the requirement has been set in law.  

“The Congress of the United States did the balancing, Mr. Secretary, working with the Marine Corps,” Sullivan said. […] You are violating the law. Would you come before this committee and say, ‘Sorry, we’re not going to do 11 carriers’? […] You can’t do it sir. I simply find it unacceptable that that we’re all just letting you say, ‘Eh, maybe that was a suggestion by the Congress.’ It wasn’t a suggestion; it was a mandate.” 

Sullivan pursued the issue further.  

“Why are you violating the law?” he asked. “And why does your shipbuilding plan have no remote interest for the next 3 years, as far as I can tell, of hitting the statutory mandate that we told you to hit. I have no idea what your answer is going to be, but you need to follow the law, sir. What’s the answer?” 

“Senator, as a member of the executive, it is my responsibility to follow the law,” Del Toro said. “It’s also my responsibility to ensure that we just don’t waste taxpayer money on vessels, for example, that will never see the light of day.” 

“This Congress has given you multi-ship procurement authorities in the past three NDAAs,” Sullivan said. “This is the third year in a row that amphibs are not being procured with this cost-saving authority. So, it’s a little rich when you talk to me about taxpayer savings when you’re not using the ability to save money that we gave you on amphibs. … I’m requesting that you come back to this committee soon and tell us how you’re going to follow the law. That’s your only option, Mr. Secretary.” 

“Senator, you have my commitment that I will come back to you with a statement on how we can fix this,” Del Toro said. “Yes, sir, it is my intent to follow the law. […] As we develop the president’s budget for ’25, I will look at that as an option that we can pursue to get us back on track with multi-ship procurement for LPDs.”  

“It’s not an option for you, Mr. Secretary,” Sullivan replied. “The committee, the Congress, the President have spoken. […] This is a big issue, and right now the secretary of the Navy is ignoring the Congress of the United States. This is unacceptable.” 

Release from 436th Wing Public Affairs 

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DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, DE, UNITED STATES 

04.13.2023 

Story by Roland Balik

Release from 436th Wing Public Affairs 

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. – Teamwork between the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force facilitated the shipment of Forward Operating Base equipment and a Mobile Remote Quick Look trailer to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, in support of MQ-4C Triton Orbit 1 operations, Feb. 1, 2023. 
 
The MQ-4C is an unmanned aerial vehicle operated by the U.S. Navy for maritime patrol supporting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. Additionally, the RQL trailer is a self-contained secure facility that will store ISR data and make it available to the intelligence community. 
 
A Mobile RQL trailer and palletized FOB equipment arrived at Dover AFB, Delaware, Jan. 30, to be inspected and weighed during a joint inspection conducted by 436th Aerial Port Squadron special handling personnel and members assigned to the Persistent Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office (PMA-262) Triton, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. 
 
“This lift is in direct support to the standup of U.S. Navy Triton capability in Guam in support of the 7th Fleet,” said RAAF Squadron Leader Stephen Grimmer, PMA-262 ground segment execution lead. “Triton is a cooperative program between the U.S. Navy and RAAF. This is a significant milestone for the Triton program as we stand up the capability.” 
 
The trailer and pallets were loaded on a C-17 Globemaster III assigned to the 436th Airlift Wing and flown by an aircrew from the 3rd Airlift Squadron. 
 
“The coordination between representatives from Dayton T. Brown Inc., Northrop Grumman Corporation, Naval Air Systems Command, RAAF and the 436th APS regarding airlift requirements started about a month prior to execution,” said Tech. Sgt. Daniel Romeyn, 436th APS capability forecaster. “Coordination efforts from the Aerial Port included scheduling truck delivery appointments for cargo, cargo build-up requirements, a joint inspection, base access and customer service with the shipper.” 
 
Upon becoming fully operational in the Pacific theater of operations, the RQL trailer will be operated by the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19, aided by field service representatives which support the 7th Fleet. 
 
Later this year, Grimmer and his team will oversee the standup and installation of Triton ground segments at RAAF Edinburgh, Adelaide, South Australia. 
 
“We have worked closely together with our partners from the RAAF over the last several years to deliver the MQ-4C Triton aircraft to Australia,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Josh Guerre, PMA-262 program manager. The MQ-4C Triton will significantly improve Australian and U.S. capabilities in the region, enhancing our joint ability to respond to regional challenges—including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.” 

Release from the Department of Defense 

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The Navy will christen and launch the newest Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship, the future USS Cleveland (LCS 31), during a 10:00 a.m. CDT ceremony on Saturday, April 15, in Marinette, Wisconsin.  This event marks the last planned side-launch of a ship at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine, Marinette, Wisconsin Shipyard.  Follow-on ships are planned to be launched using a shiplift system. 

The principal speaker Mr. Andrew Haeuptle, director of Navy staff, will deliver the ceremonial principal address. Remarks will also be provided by Rear Adm. Thomas Anderson, program executive officer, ships; Mr. Austin Davis, senior policy advisor, City of Cleveland, Ohio; Mr. Steve Allen, vice president, small combatants and ship systems, Lockheed Martin Integrated Warfare Systems and Sensors; and Mr. Mark Vandroff, chief executive officer, Fincantieri Marinette Marine. Mrs. Robyn Modly, wife of former Acting Secretary of the Navy and Cleveland native, the Honorable Thomas B. Modly, will break a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow to symbolically christen the ship. 

“This christening is a significant milestone for the future USS Cleveland, the ship’s sponsor Mrs. Robyn Modly, and the prospective crew,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro. “LCS 31 will be another step closer to joining our fleet, sailing the open seas, continuing to defend our nation, and representing the strong connection our Navy has with the city of Cleveland.” 

Cleveland is the 16th and final Freedom-variant LCS and the fourth ship to be named in honor of the city of Cleveland, Ohio. Previous USS Cleveland’s were the World War I cruiser (C 19), the World War II light cruiser (CL 55), and the Vietnam-era amphibious transport dock (LPD 7), decommissioned in 2011. 

The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) class are fast, optimally-manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that operate in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. LCSs integrate with joint, combined, manned, and unmanned teams to support forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe. 

The LCS class consists of two variants, Freedom and Independence, designed and built by two separate industry teams. The Freedom variant team is led by Lockheed Martin (for the odd-numbered hulls, e.g. LCS 1). It is a steel monohull design constructed by Lockheed Martin in the Fincantieri Marinette Marine Corporation’s shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin. 

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342. More information on the Littoral Combat Ship Program can be found at: https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2171607/littoral-combat-ship-class-lcs/.