The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Sioux City (LCS 11), transits the Caribbean Sea, April 10, 2021. U.S. Navy Photo
The U.S. Navy decommissioned the littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Sioux City (LCS 11) on Monday after less than five years in service.
The Freedom-variant LCS was built by Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wisconsin, and commissioned November 17, 2018, at the Naval Academy in Annapolis.
“Though our ship’s service ends today, her legacy does not. For years to come the Sailors who served onboard will carry forth lessons learned and career experiences gained,” said Capt. Daniel Reiher, Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Training Facility Atlantic. “As those lessons and experiences are used to forge those that follow us, the legacy of SIOUX CITY will strengthen our Navy for generations to come.”
Sioux City completed four deployments in December 2020, July 2021, December 2021 and October 2022. It is known for being the first LCS to operate in U.S. Fifth and Sixth fleets across the Atlantic where they participated in counter drug trafficking operations with the U.S. Coast Guard. It was also the first United States Navy Warship named after the city of Sioux City, Iowa.
The LCS program was split across the two variants, including steel-hulled Freedom-class built by Lockheed Martin at Fincantieri Marinette Marine (odd-numbered) and General Dynamics’ aluminum-hulled Independence-class (even-numbered) trimarans built by Austal USA.
Sioux City becomes the fourth LCS to be decommissioned, following the lead Freedom-class ship, Freedom (LCS-1), and the first two Independence-class ships, Independence (LCS-2) and Coronado (LCS-4).
The U.S. Navy plans to scrap nine of a total 16 Freedom-class LCS well short of their planned service lives in order to save a projected $4.3 billion in upgrades and maintenance.
Read Next: Navy Risks Blowback in Bid to Scrap $5 Billion of Troubled Ships
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