USS Oakland (LCS-24) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy.[1] She is the third ship to be named for the City of Oakland, California.[6][7]

USS Oakland in 8 March 2021
History
United States
NameOakland
NamesakeOakland
Awarded29 December 2010[1]
BuilderAustal USA[1]
Laid down20 July 2018
Launched21 July 2019[2]
Sponsored byKate Brandt[3]
Christened29 June 2019[3]
Acquired26 June 2020[4]
Commissioned17 April 2021[5]
HomeportSan Diego[5]
IdentificationHull number: LCS-24
MottoFortitude, Determination, Communication
StatusActive
Badge
General characteristics
Displacement2,307 metric tons light, 3,104 metric tons full, 797 metric tons deadweight
Length127.4 m (418 ft)
Beam31.6 m (104 ft)
Draft14 ft (4.27 m)
Propulsion2× gas turbines, 2× diesel, 4× waterjets, retractable Azimuth thruster, 4× diesel generators
Speed40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph)+, 47 knots (54 mph; 87 km/h) sprint
Range4,300 nautical miles (8,000 km; 4,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)+
Capacity210 tonnes
Complement40 core crew (8 officers, 32 enlisted) plus up to 35 mission crew
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Sea Giraffe 3D Surface/Air RADAR
  • Bridgemaster-E Navigational RADAR
  • AN/KAX-2 EO/IR sensor for GFC
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • EDO ES-3601 ESM
  • SRBOC rapid bloom chaff launchers
Armament
Aircraft carriedMH-60R/S Seahawks

Design

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In 2002, the United States Navy initiated a program to develop the first of a fleet of littoral combat ships.[8] The Navy initially ordered two trimaran hulled ships from General Dynamics, which became known as the Independence-class littoral combat ship after the first ship of the class, USS Independence.[8] Even-numbered US Navy littoral combat ships are built using the Independence-class trimaran design, while odd-numbered ships are based on a competing design, the conventional monohull Freedom-class littoral combat ship.[8] The initial order of littoral combat ships involved a total of four ships, including two of the Independence-class design.[8] On 29 December 2010, the Navy announced that it was awarding Austal USA a contract to build ten additional Independence-class littoral combat ships.[9][10]

Construction and career

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Oakland was built by Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. A ceremonial laying of the keel was held at the Austal USA shipyards in Mobile on 20 July 2018. The ship was christened on 29 June 2019[3] and then launched on 21 July 2019.[2] She was delivered to the Navy on 26 June 2020,[4] and was commissioned on 17 April 2021.[5] The ship was in Honiara, Solomon Islands on 7 August 2022 for ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Oakland (LCS-24)". Naval Vessel Register. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Future USS Oakland Launched" (Press release). United States Navy. 22 July 2019. NNS190722-19. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  3. ^ a b c "AUSTAL USA CELEBRATES THE CHRISTENING OF OAKLAND (LCS 24)". usa.austal.com. 29 June 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Navy Accepts Delivery of Future USS Oakland (LCS 24)" (Press release). United States Navy. 26 June 2020. NNS200626-10. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "Navy to Commission USS Oakland This Weekend". usni.org. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Secretary of the Navy Names Littoral Combat Ship" (Press release). U.S. Department of Defense. 20 August 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  7. ^ Myers, Meghann (19 August 2015). "SECNAV dubs next littoral combat ship Oakland". Navy Times. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  8. ^ a b c d "US Navy Fact File: Littoral Combat Ship Class – LCS". US Navy. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  9. ^ Special from Navy Office of Information (29 December 2010). "Littoral Combat Ship Contract Award Announced" (Press release). Navy News Service. NNS101229-09. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  10. ^ Osborn, Kris (27 June 2014). "Navy Engineers LCS Changes". www.dodbuzz.com. Monster. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  11. ^ Cave, Damien (7 August 2022). "A U.S. Return to Guadalcanal, in Another Tense Historical Moment". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 7 August 2022.