Overview
- The Navy commissioned USS Pierre (LCS 38) on Nov. 15 in Panama City, Florida, marking the 19th and final Independence-variant littoral combat ship.
- Navy Secretary John Phelan delivered the keynote, and sponsor Larissa Thune Hargens issued the order to bring the ship to life.
- Commanding officer Cmdr. Justin Guernsey leads a crew of about 112 aboard the 418-foot vessel.
- Officials highlighted mine countermeasures and anti-submarine warfare capabilities, plus a flexible mission bay and flight deck for helicopters, unmanned systems, and small boats.
- Pierre will depart Panama City within a week, make several stops en route, and become the 15th Independence-variant homeported at Naval Base San Diego as the broader LCS program undergoes reassessment and repurposing of some hulls, with the final Freedom-variant USS Beloit expected to commission early next year.