The US Navy commissioned the nation’s seventh littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Detroit (LCS 7) on the Detroit River, officially placing the ship designed and constructed by a Lockheed Martin-led industry team into active service.

USS Detroit, the fourth Freedom-variant in the LCS class, completed acceptance trials in July and was delivered to the US Navy on August 12. It joins three other Freedom-variant ships in the fleet: USS Freedom (LCS 1), USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) and USS Milwaukee (LCS 5). Collectively, Freedom-variant ships have sailed over 2,25,000 nautical miles and successfully completed two overseas deployments.

“The entire Lockheed Martin-led LCS team is honoured to have delivered USS Detroit and witness the ship being commissioned and brought to life in her namesake city,” said Joe North, Vice President of Littoral Ships and Systems. “For decades to come, USS Detroit will serve in the defence of our great nation, enabling the US Navy to carry out its missions around the world and representing our nation where and when needed.”

The Lockheed Martin-led industry team is currently in full-rate production of the Freedom-variant, with six ships under construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) and three more in long-lead material procurement. The ship’s modular design and affordable price enables the US Navy to provide presence where and when needed at a fraction of the cost of other platforms.