The U.S. Navy has concluded acceptance trials for the future USS Pierre (LCS 38), achieving the highest quality rating in 15 years.
The Naval Sea Systems Command said Monday the final acceptance trials for the Independence variant littoral combat ship were conducted at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama, during the week of June 9.
With the completion of the trials, the USS Pierre will now be prepared for its official delivery to the Navy. The ship will be commissioned in fall 2025 and then homeported in San Diego, California, where it will play a key role in ensuring forward presence, maritime security, sea control and deterrence.
The USS Pierre Legacy
The USS Pierre, the 19th Independence-variant LCS ever built, is the third Navy ship and second warship to be christened Pierre, in honor of South Dakota’s capital city. SS Pierre Victory, a Victory-class cargo ship, was the first to use the name. It is known for neutralizing a kamikaze plane near Okinawa during WWII. The second ship and first warship to be honored with the name is the USS Pierre submarine chaser (PC-1141). It was commissioned in 1943, renamed in 1946 and decommissioned in 1958.
Melissa Kirkendall, acting program executive officer for unmanned and small combatants, said, “Pierre is not just the final LCS in its class — it’s a symbol of our Navy’s strength, lethality and commitment to global security.”
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