The U.S. Navy has officially taken delivery of its 19th and final Independence‑class Littoral Combat Ship, designated LCS‑38 and named USS Pierre, from Austal USA. Initially launched in August 2024, it completed acceptance trials in June 2025, during which all major systems were thoroughly tested. This marks the conclusion of the 15‑year Independence‑variant LCS program.
The vessel is slated for commissioning this fall and will be based in San Diego, California. The Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship fleet features two variants: the Lockheed Martin Freedom‑class and the Austal Independence‑class. Both are fast, agile surface combatants designed for mine countermeasures and surface warfare in coastal regions, capable of independent operations or acting in support of larger warships like cruisers and destroyers.
Despite their intended flexibility, the LCS program has faced persistent challenges, including significant cost overruns, reliability issues, and frequent problems with mission module swapping. These issues led to the early decommissioning of several Freedom‑class and Independence‑class ships—some after fewer than 10 years of service.
