US Navy Commissions Littoral Combat Ship 23 (Cooperstown)

NEW YORK, N.Y., May 8. The US Navy commissioned Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 23, USS Cooperstown – the nation’s twelfth Freedom-variant LCS – at Pier 88 in New York, New York. This milestone places the ship, built by the Lockheed Martin-led team, into active service with the US Navy.

“The speed, flexibility and lethality the Cooperstown will bring to the fleet is unmatched. With a unique set of capabilities, LCS 23 is ready for today and tomorrow’s threats, ensuring Navy sailors stay ahead of ready for any mission, anywhere.”
– Chauncey McIntosh, Vice President and General Manager of Integrated Warfare Systems and Sensors at Lockheed Martin.

Unique among combat ships, LCS is deployed today for close-to-shore missions and is a growing and relevant part of the Navy’s fleet. Its speed, strength and versatility make it a critical tool to help sailors achieve their missions.

USS Cooperstown will be the first naval ship named after Cooperstown, New York and honors the 70 Hall of Famers who served the United States during wartime in a range of conflicts spanning the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

“The crew gives the ship its own personality and warfighting spirit. The men and women of USS Cooperstown exemplify patriotism, grit, and what this great country of ours stands for. I am extremely proud to have all of the USS Cooperstown crew as shipmates.”
— LCS 23’s Commanding Officer, Commander Daxton Moore.

Freedom-variant Littoral Combat ships have supported the Navy on various missions including several counter-illicit drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in narcotics seizures. Most recently, the Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship for the first time has deployed to US 6th Fleet, as a measure of assurance for NATO allies and partners in Europe and Africa.

Lockheed Martin is in full-rate production and has delivered 13 ships to the US Navy. There are three ships in various stages of production. Next, Cooperstown will sail to its homeport of Mayport, Fla.