The Navy will commission its newest Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Billings (LCS 15), during a 10 a.m. ceremony Saturday, Aug. 3, in Key West, Florida.
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, will deliver the commissioning ceremony's principal address. Tester’s wife, Sharla, is the ship’s sponsor. The ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when Mrs. Tester gives the first order to “man our ship and bring her to life!”
“The future USS Billings and her crew will play an important role in the defense of our nation and maritime freedom,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer, who is also performing the Duties of Deputy Secretary of Defense. “She stands as proof of what teamwork – from civilian to contractor to military – can accomplish. This fast, agile platform will deliver her motto, ‘Big Sky Over Troubled Waters’ worldwide thanks to their efforts.”
The ship is named in honor of Billings, the largest city in Montana, as well as the people and military veterans of the state. The future USS Billings will be the first ship of its name in naval service.
Montana has a rich history and proud heritage of naval service, with thirty ships named over the years in honor of places and people, including the currently serving Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Helena (SSN 725) and the under construction Virginia-class fast attack submarine USS Montana (SSN 794). Montana also has one of the highest per capita veteran populations, according to the Veterans Administration.
The future USS Billings is a fast, agile, focused-mission platform designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation. It is designed to defeat asymmetric "anti-access" threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft. The ship will be homeported in Mayport, Florida.
The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom variant and the Independence variant, designed and built by two industry teams. The Freedom-variant team is led by Lockheed Martin, Marinette, Wisconsin (for the odd-numbered hulls). The Independence variant team is led by Austal USA, Mobile, Ala., (for LCS 6 and the subsequent even-numbered hulls).
Additional information about the future USS Billings (LCS 15) can be found here.
BMT Delivers Study for Royal Australian
BOEM Announces $2 Million in Awards to t
NOAA Announces Regulations to Protect Ma
Navy Launches UAV from Submerged Submari
Global Ocean Commission Welcomes Carol B
Global Ocean Commission Welcomes Carol B
Remontowa Shipbuilding Chooses KONGSBERG
CSA Conducts Benthic Habitat Surveys for
NOAA Commissions New Fisheries Survey Sh
The Navy Living Marine Resources is Seek
Celebrity Cruises Ship Joins University
Black Laser Learning Trains Navy Hydrogr
Wärtsilä Wins Ship Design Contract for E
Greenpeace Ship Arctic Sunrise Departs R
Northrop Grumman Wins US Navy CANES Ship
Nautronix Commission Largest NASDive Dig
Imtech Marine Nav/Com partner for Ship o
Hydro-Lek Manipulators Used on Ageotec R
U.S. Navy Announces ‘Next Generation Fat
Royal Navy of Oman Takes Delivery of Dam
DNV GL Launches a Joint Industry Project
Onshore Wind Cheaper than Coal, Gas and
Divex to Supply US Navy with State-of-th
PIRIOU Selects iXBlue’s QUADRANS as Refe
AIS Data Use in Environmental Ship Emiss
Nexans’ Refitted Cable Ship Sets Sail fr
Ten SAAB Seaeye Falcon ROVs for the Swed
Phoenix Upgrades U.S. Navy Deep Drone RO
U.S. Navy Invests in Research and Develo
U.S. Navy Invests in Research and Develo
SSL built high throughput satellite for
Navy Scientists Develop Prototype for Di
A New Achievement for French Navy and Zo
New Tools Aiding Storm Prediction, Incre
UM Researcher Helps Provide Extended Wea
Rolls-Royce to Lead Autonomous Ship Rese
OceanWorks International Completes Upgra
Ashtead Technology Helps Solve Riddle of
BMT Wins $5.7M Contract with US Navy Env
Cammell Laird Shipyard Beats Global Comp
BMT Designers & Planners Secures Major U
Global Ocean Commission Welcomes UN Gene
OneSubsea Announces Successful Commissio
Cape Henry Associates Awarded Multimilli
Leading Ocean Scientists Recommend Immed
WHOI Selects Sonardyne Positioning Techn
Kongsberg Subsea Technology Systems for
OceanWorks International Completes Frenc
Royal Navy Selects Shark Marine Technolo
German Navy Research Institute Takes Del
China's New Submersible Mother Ship Comp
Phoenix Assists U.S. Navy in Recovering
Royal Australian Navy to Upgrade Paluma
Science Ship Becomes Floating Classroom
KONGSBERG to Deliver Complete Marine Eco
General Dynamics Autonomous Underwater V
Brazilian Navy League Awards Highest Hon
Saab Signs Submarine and Surface Ship Mo
Cougar Picked for New Supply Ship
Teledyne Marine Presents Enhanced Survey
NTT Com, NTTWEM and NTT Finance Announce
Secretary of the Navy Announces Need for
U.S. Navy Tests Autonomous Swarmboats in
Remote Ocean Current Monitoring Systems
Royal Australian Navy Launches Destroyer
U.S. Navy Develops and Tests Maritime Au
Indian Navy Launches Second Scorpene-Cla
W&T Offshore Announces Initial Productio
Thyssenkrupp Named Strategic Partner to
Future USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) Deli
Damen Expands Its Ship Repair Activities
U.S. Navy Christens Future USS Tulsa (LC
Royal Australian Navy Develops Tactical
Four Ships Commission Popular Cable Layi
Kelvin Hughes to Supply Radar Systems fo
Navy Tests Helicopter Retrieval of Unman
US Coast Guard, Navy Conduct Oceania Mar
Singapore Navy Launches Fourth Littoral
USS Detroit Completes Combat System Ship
Navy Forms Task Force Ocean, Plans to Ad
Phoenix-built ROV Transferred by US Navy
Kelvin Hughes to Supply Downmast Submari
US Navy Divers Achieve Milestone
SEA Supports Royal Navy with Ambient Noi
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Comm
US Navy Successfully Conducts First AN/S
U.S. Navy Unmanned Maritime Systems Cert
CWind Cable Ship Sovereign Completes Sci
Huntington Ingalls Launches Amphibious A
Navy, Marines Spotlight the Future of Am
AECOM Wins Contract for Services for the
YARA and KONGSBERG: World’s First Autono
Fleet Xpress Exceeds 10,000 Ship Milesto
Littoral Combat Ship Gabrielle Giffords
2G Robotics to Supply Scanning Technolog
Germany Navy Frigate Rheinland-Pfalz Chr
Future USS Gerald R. Ford Aircraft Carri
Belgian Navy Acquires 10 Licences of See
Austal Wins Littoral Combat Ship Contrac
NKT Victoria Proclaimed Ship of the Year
Ocean News & Technology is a publication of TSC
7897 SW Jack James Drive
Suite A, Stuart, FL 34997
(772)-221-7720