Fincantieri Marinette Marine of Wisconsin has handed over the 11th Freedom-class littoral combat ship (LCS) to be built for the US Navy.
The future USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul is the second US Navy ship to honour Minnesota's famed Twin Cities. Following its commissioning, it will perform anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, mine countermeasures, and special operations support missions.
The LCS has a length of 387 feet (118 metres), a beam of 58 feet (17.7 metres), a draught of 13 feet (3.9 metres), and space for 35 crewmembers plus up to 75 additional personnel. Armament will include a 57-millimetre naval gun and surface-to-air missiles while flight deck space is available for an MH-60 Seahawk helicopter or two MQ-8 Fire Scout rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.
