USS Little Rock (LCS-9)

USS Little Rock (LCS-9) is a Freedom-class littoral combat ship (LCS) of the United States Navy.[1][7] She is the second ship named after Little Rock, the capital city of Arkansas.[8] The ship's estimated construction costs are between $300 million and $350 million.[9][10] The keel laying ceremony for Little Rock was on 27 June 2013. The mast stepping ceremony took place on 23 April 2015, followed by the christening ceremony on 18 July 2015.

USS Little Rock sailing into Buffalo Inner Harbor
History
United States
Name:	Little Rock
Namesake:	Little Rock, Arkansas
Awarded:	29 December 2010[1]
Builder:	Marinette Marine[1]
Laid down:	27 June 2013[1]
Launched:	18 July 2015[2]
Sponsored by:	Janée L. Bonner[3]
Christened:	18 July 2015[3]
Acquired:	25 September 2017[4]
Commissioned:	16 December 2017
Homeport:	Naval Station Mayport
Identification:	MMSI number: 369970709
Status:	In active service
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Freedom-class littoral combat ship
Displacement:	3,500 metric tons (3,900 short tons) full load[5]
Length:	378.3 ft (115.3 m)
Beam:	57.4 ft (17.5 m)
Draft:	13.0 ft (4.0 m)
Installed power:	4 Isotta Fraschini V1708 diesel engines with Hitzinger generator units rated at 800 kW each.
Propulsion:	2 Rolls-Royce MT30 36 MW gas turbines, 2 Colt-Pielstick diesel engines, 4 Rolls-Royce waterjets
Speed:	45 knots (52 mph; 83 km/h) (sea state 3)
Range:	3,500 nmi (6,500 km) at 18 knots (21 mph; 33 km/h)[6]
Endurance:	21 days (336 hours)
Boats & landing craft carried:	11 m RHIB, 40 ft (12 m) high-speed boats
Complement:	15 to 50 core crew, 75 mission crew (Blue and Gold crews)
Armament:	BAE Systems Mk 110 57 mm gun RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles Honeywell Mk 50 torpedo NETFIRES PAM missile in the ASuW module 2 × .50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns Can be fitted with up to 4 Bushmaster 30 mm guns
Aircraft carried:	2 MH-60R/S Seahawks MQ-8 Fire Scout
Aviation facilities:	Flight deck, hangar

On 25 August 2017, Little Rock, the fifth Freedom-variant LCS built by Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine, completed acceptance trials on Lake Michigan with the highest score of any Freedom-variant LCS to date, earning the right to fly brooms atop her mast signifying a clean sweep of the ship's sea trials.[11] The ship was delivered to the United States Navy on 25 September 2017.[4] The ship was commissioned alongside the earlier Galveston-class cruiser USS Little Rock at Buffalo, New York on 16 December 2017.[12] The commissioning ceremony marked the first time a U.S. Navy ship has commissioned next to her namesake.[13]

After commissioning in Buffalo, New York, she headed to home port at Mayport Naval Station, Florida where she is assigned to Littoral Combat Ship Squadron Two. However, harsh winter conditions caused delays, preventing her from leaving St. Lawrence Seaway and she was stuck in ice at the port in Montreal.[14][15] Little Rock remained there until 31 March 2018.[16]

From 23 to 29 May 2018, Little Rock participated in New York City's annual Fleet Week celebrations. She was docked in Staten Island during and open to public tours during the time.[17]

In January 2020 it was reported that the ship would be equipped with a laser weapon system, most likely the 150-kilowatt class HELIOS system developed by Lockheed Martin.[18]

On 6 February 2020 Little Rock began its first deployment. Deployed to U.S. Southern Command, the ship is expected to conduct operations in support of the multinational campaign Operation Martillo targeting international drug trafficking in Central American coastal waters. Little Rock deployed with the surface warfare mission-package and a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment.[19]