The future USS Kingsville (LCS 36) returning to Mobile on 31 January from her sea trials (Austal)
Austal just recently announced that the future USS Kingsville (LCS 36) has returned pier side after successfully completing acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico for the U.S. Navy.
During acceptance trials, comprehensive testing is conducted on the ship’s major systems and equipment in order to demonstrate their successful operation and mission readiness. The U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey participates throughout the trials to validate the quality of construction and compliance with Navy requirements.
Once Kingsville leaves for the Pacific– where the Indy variants are located, the more troubled Freedom variants are based in Florida and basically don’t have a mission other than the occasional 4th Fleet deployment– Austal will only have the future USS Pierre (LCS 38) as the final Independence-variant under construction. Pierre will be christened this spring.
Of the 19 planned Indys, the first two hulls (Independence LCS-2, and Coronado, LCS-4) were decommissioned in 2021-22 after just 11 years and 9 years of service, respectively.