Next LCS Named

The next Independence-class littoral combat ship will be named USS Tulsa, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus announced Sept. 16. The ship, LCS 16, will be built at Austal USA’s facilities in Mobile, Ala. Like other vessels in its class, Tulsa will offer modular design – allowing for adaptability to conform to mission demands. At 419 feet in length, the ship could conduct mine, anti-submarine, and surface warfare operations. The mission packages include manned and unmanned vehicles and sensors, staffed by crews specially trained to deploy them