USS Kansas City (LCS-22)

USS Kansas City (LCS-22) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy. She is the third ship to be named for Kansas City, the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri.[7]

USS Kansas City in San Diego on 24 May 2020
History
United States
NameKansas City
NamesakeKansas City
Awarded29 December 2010[2]
BuilderAustal USA[2]
Laid down15 November 2017[2]
Launched19 October 2018[3]
Sponsored byTracy Davidson[1]
Christened22 September 2018[4]
Acquired12 February 2020[5]
Commissioned20 June 2020[6]
HomeportSan Diego
Identification
MottoUnited We Stand, Divided We Fall
StatusActive
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeIndependence-class littoral combat ship
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
Complement41 core crew (9 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 U.S. 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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Kansas City was built in Mobile, Alabama by Austal USA. The ship was christened on 22 September 2018 in Mobile, Alabama,[4] and sponsored by Tracy Davidson, wife of Admiral Philip S. Davidson.[1] She was launched 19 October 2018 into the Mobile River.[3]

Kansas City was commissioned on 20 June 2020[6] and she has been assigned to Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b "USS Kansas City named by Navy official who threw a first pitch at The K. Coincidence?". kansascity.com. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Kansas City (LCS-22)". Naval Vessel Register. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  3. ^ a b "USS Kansas City released into Mobile River". kshb.com. 19 October 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Austal USA Celebrates the Christening of Kansas City (LCS 22)" (Press release). Austal USA. 22 September 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  5. ^ "Navy Accepts Delivery of Future USS Kansas City (LCS 22)" (Press release). United States Navy. 13 February 2020. NNS200213-01. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Littoral Combat Ship USS Kansas City Joins Fleet" (Press release). United States Navy. 20 June 2020. NNS200620-01. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Secretary of the Navy Names Littoral Combat Ship" (Press release). U.S. Department of Defense. 20 July 2015. NR-288-15. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  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. ^ "LCS Squadron 1". public.navy.mil. Retrieved 25 February 2018.