U.S. Navy to Commission Independence-variant LCS Canberra in Australia

The U.S. Navy will commission its newest Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Canberra (LCS 30), on Saturday, at the Royal Australian Navy Fleet Base East in Sydney, Australia.

Independence-variant LCS are fast, optimally-manned, mission-tailored, surface combatants that operate both close to shore and in open-ocean environments. LCS integrate with joint, combined, crewed, and unmanned systems to support forward-presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions. The USS Canberra's sister ships, USS Jackson (LCS 6), USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10), USS Manchester (LCS 14), and USS Mobile (LCS 26) are all currently on deployment in the Indo-Pacific.

LCS 30 will be the 16th commissioned Independence-variant LCS.

The LCS class consists of two variants: the Freedom variant and the Independence variant. The Freedom-variant team is led by Lockheed Martin (for the odd-numbered hulls). The Independence-variant team is led by Austal USA (for LCS 6 and the subsequent even-numbered hulls).