Commissioning For Newest US Littoral Combat Ship Set For Saturday - Navy

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th November, 2018) The latest addition to the US fleet of littoral combat ships (LCS) will be commissioned during a ceremony at the US Naval academy in the state of Maryland on Saturday, the Navy announced in a press release on Wednesday.

"The future USS Sioux City, designated LCS 11, is the 13th LCS to enter the fleet and the sixth of the Freedom-variant design," the release said.

US Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa will deliver the commissioning ceremony's principal address at a 9 a.m. ceremony and Mary Winnefeld, the wife of former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Adm. James "Sandy" Winnefeld, will serve as the ship's sponsor, the release said.

Littoral combat ships are designed to operate in near-shore environments, while capable of open-ocean tasking and defeating 21st-century coastal threats such as submarines, mines and swarming small craft, the release said.