The Navy will christen the future USS Pierre (LCS 38) as the newest, and final, Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) during a 10:00 a.m. CST ceremony on Saturday, May 18, in Mobile Alabama.
The christening ceremony's principal address will be delivered by Vice Admiral Francis Morley, Principal Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition. Remarks will also be provided by the Honorable John Thune, U.S. Senator, South Dakota; the Honorable Steve Harding, Mayor of Pierre, South Dakota; Rear Admiral Thomas Anderson, Program Executive Officer, Ships; Ms. Michelle Kruger, President, Austal USA; and Mr. Stan Kordana, Vice President of Program Execution, General Dynamics Mission Systems. The ship's sponsor is Larissa Thune Hargens.
Pierre is the 19th Independence-variant LCS and is the second ship named after Pierre, South Dakota.
The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. The LCS is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence.
The LCS class consists of two variants, Freedom and Independence, designed and built by two separate industry teams. The Independence-variant team is led by Austal USA (for the even-numbered hulls, e.g. LCS 2).
