Combat Ship in Mobile Bay

𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮:

The future USS Pierre heads out of Mobile Bay the morning of SEP 30 2025 to begin a series of crew familiarization exercises. Built by Mobile-based Austal USA, Littoral Combat Ship or LCS 38 (as it’s currently named), is the nineteenth and last of the Independence class-variants to be delivered to the Navy by Austal USA.

Measuring 418 feet by 104 feet, vessels under the LCS program are designed for operations near-shore, maritime security and deterrence as well as sea control and supporting forward presence, according to the company. They have a reported speed capability of more than 40 mph. Although the LCS program is winding down, Austal USA’s involvement with the US military has more work ahead. The shipbuilder has ten vessels under construction including nine for the Navy and a cutter for the Coast Guard.

LCS 38 will be the second vessel named after Pierre, the capital city of South Dakota. The previous USS Pierre was a submarine chaser used during World War Two.

The LCS program has not been without problems. Costs rose sharply, while several ships developed operational issues, leading the Navy to modify some vessels and even decommissioning seven ships. Much of the blame was placed on the planning process with complaints that the ships were burdened with too many functions into the design.

Photo shot from White Ave park in Fairhope, roughly 6.5 miles away…