On Monday 14th August, 2023 the U.S. Navy decommissioned the littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Sioux City LCS after less than five years in service.
She was built by Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wisconsin, and commissioned on 17th November, 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.”
She completed four deployments in December 2020, July 2021, December 2021 and October 2022. She 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 and she 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.
LCS 11 becomes the fourth LCS to be decommissioned, following the lead Freedom-class ship, LCS 1 USS FREEDOM, and the first two Independence-class ships, LCS 2 USS INDEPENDENCE and LCS 4 USS CORONADO.
Featured photos are by our correspondent Mr. Nathan Attard at Welland Canal, Canada back to 28th October, 2018 few days before she was commissioned.
