The Navy will commission the future USS Savannah (LCS 28) as the newest Independence variant littoral combat ship (LCS) during a 10:00 a.m. EST ceremony Saturday, Feb. 5, in Brunswick, Georgia.
Remarks will be provided by the Honorable Earl L. “Buddy” Carter, U. S. Representative, Georgia’s First District; the Honorable Meredith Berger, Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary of the Navy; Vice Adm. Carl Chebi, Commander, Naval Air Systems Command; the Honorable Van Johnson, Mayor of Savannah; the Honorable Cosby Johnson, Mayor of Brunswick; and Larry Ryder, Vice President of Business Development and External Affairs, Austal USA
The ship’s sponsor is Mrs. Dianne Davison Isakson, wife of the late Honorable Johnny Isakson, former Senator from Georgia. In a time-honored Navy tradition, Mrs. Isakson, along with the Matron of Honor, her daughter Julie Isakson Mitchell, will give the first order to “man our ship and bring her to life.”
“The city of Savannah, Georgia, has played an important role in our nation’s naval history,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro. “I have no doubt the Sailors of USS Savannah (LCS 28) will carry on the fighting spirit of this city and will play an important role in the defense of our nation and maritime freedom.”
The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom and the Independence, designed and built by two industry teams. Lockheed Martin leads the Freedom variant team, or odd-numbered hulls, constructed in Marinette, Wisconsin. Austal USA leads the Independence variant team in Mobile, Alabama for LCS 2 and the subsequent even-numbered hulls.
Savannah is the 14th Independence variant LCS and the sixth ship to bear its name. LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. The platform is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control and deterrence.
USS Savannah will homeport at Naval Base San Diego, California.
The ceremony will be live streamed at: USS Savannah Commissioning. The link becomes active approximately ten minutes prior to the event (9:50 a.m. EST).
Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342. More information on the Littoral Combat Ship Program can be found at: https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2171607/littoral-combat-ship-class-lcs/.