Lockheed LCS delivered to Navy

MARINETTE, Wis. - Lockheed Martin delivered “Freedom,” the nation’s first Littoral Combat Ship, to the Navy on Thursday. It's the Navy’s preliminary acceptance of LCS 1. The 378-foot Freedom, a steel monohull, was christened and launched in September 2006 and completed sea trials last month. It will be commissioned Nov. 8 in Milwaukee and homeported in San Diego, Calif. Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., is building another LCS. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 09/18/08)