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The US Navy commissioned Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 21, USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul – the nation’s eleventh Freedom-variant LCS – in Port of Duluth, Minnesota. This milestone places the ship, built by the Lockheed Martin-led team into active service with the US Navy.
“The versatility, adaptability and relevance USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul will bring to the fleet is unmatched,” said Jon Rambeau, vice president and general manager of Integrated Warfare Systems and Sensors at Lockheed Martin. “LCS 21 is ready for tomorrow’s threats, providing her crew the ability to flexibly deploy advanced capabilities that will deter our adversaries.”
Unique among combat ships, LCS is deployed for close-to-shore missions and is a growing and relevant part of the Navy’s fleet. Its speed, strength and versatility make it a critical tool to help sailors achieve their missions. Recently, the Freedom-class LCS was deployed to US 6th Fleet for the first time as a measure of assurance for NATO allies and partners in Europe and Africa.
Minneapolis-Saint Paul was launched and christened on June 15, 2019. The ship completed acceptance trials on Aug. 21, 2020, and was delivered to the US Navy on Nov. 18, 2021. Minneapolis-Saint Paul is the second naval ship to honor Minnesota’s Twin Cities. USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul will be homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.
The Lockheed Martin-led LCS team is comprised of shipbuilder Fincantieri Marinette Marine, naval architect Gibbs & Cox, and more than 800 suppliers in 42 states. Built at the Midwest’s only naval shipyard, LCS production supports 12,500 US jobs, including more than 7,500 jobs in Wisconsin and Michigan. Lockheed Martin is in full-rate production and has delivered 11 ships to the US Navy. There are five ships in various stages of production.
