- USS Pierre (LCS 38), the final Independence-variant littoral combat ship, has arrived in Panama City ahead of its November 15 commissioning.
- The Navy says the ship will join the fleet before transiting to its new homeport in San Diego.
The U.S. Navy’s last Independence-variant littoral combat ship has reached Florida ahead of its commissioning ceremony next week. According to the Navy, USS Pierre (LCS 38) arrived in Panama City, Florida, as preparations continue for its formal entry into the fleet on November 15.
Pierre is the nineteenth and final Independence-variant LCS constructed for the Navy. It is also the second Navy warship to carry the name Pierre, honoring the capital city of South Dakota. The ship will become an active member of the fleet the moment the commissioning pennant is raised, the Navy said.
During the ceremony, ship sponsor and South Dakota native Larissa Thune Hargens will perform the traditional role of giving the order, “man our ship and bring her to life!” The Navy said Pierre’s arrival this week marks the beginning of final preparations for the event.
LCS 38 carries a name that has appeared in the fleet before. The Navy notes that Pierre is the third ship named in honor of South Dakota’s capital city, though only the second Navy warship to bear the name. The first was PC-1141, a PC-461-class submarine chaser commissioned in 1943, renamed in 1946, and decommissioned in 1958. Another ship connected to the city, the SS Pierre Victory, distinguished itself during World War II by shooting down a kamikaze aircraft near Okinawa.
Once commissioned, Pierre will sail to its new homeport in San Diego. Its addition closes the Navy’s Independence-variant production line, a program that produced 19 trimaran-hulled ships built for speed, shallow-water maneuvering, and modular mission packages.
The Navy describes the Littoral Combat Ship as a fast and agile small surface combatant designed for near-shore operations and “21st-century threats.” As noted in the service’s description, the class is equipped for missions involving forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence. LCS vessels can deploy alone or operate in high-threat environments alongside larger ships such as cruisers and destroyers as part of a networked battle force.
The Navy adds that the mission of Commander, Naval Surface Force, Pacific Fleet is to “man, train, and equip the Surface Force to provide fleet commanders with credible naval power to control the sea and project power ashore.” Pierre’s commissioning fits into that broader effort by delivering another platform to support distributed operations across the Pacific.