Tag Archives: little rock

Little Rock out of canuck ice jail

LAKE MICHIGAN (Aug. 25, 2017) The future littoral combat ship USS Little Rock (LCS 9) is underway during a high-speed run in Lake Michigan during acceptance trials. She was born on the Lakes and, though commissioned more than three months ago, has been trapped in Canadian waters over the winter. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin/Released)

Looks like the Navy is finally going to get their latest littoral combat ship in to some saltwater. While the Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Little Rock (LCS-9) was commissioned in Buffalo, New York 16 Dec 2017, she has been iced in at Montreal ever since. But that is going to change.

MONTREAL:

An American warship stuck in Montreal since Christmas Eve has finally resumed its trip to its home port in Florida, the U.S. Navy confirmed on Saturday.

The USS Little Rock was commissioned in Buffalo, N.Y., on Dec. 16 but was trapped by ice at the Port of Montreal less than two weeks into its maiden voyage.

A spokesperson for the Navy said officials decided to wait until weather conditions improved before allowing the ship to continue its journey to Mayport, Fla., out of concern for the safety of the ship and crew.

Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Hillson confirmed the ship finally left the city early on Saturday after spending more than three months in Montreal.

It is expected to arrive in Florida early next month after making several port visits along the way.

USS Little Rock (LCS-9), littoral combat ship, in the snow

Drone video footage of the Freedom-class littoral combat ship PCS USS Little Rock (LCS-9) docked in Buffalo, New York 14 Dec 2017, two days before her commissioning. She is the fifth Freedom-variant LCS built by Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine, at a cost of $350 million, and was laid down 27 June 2013.

She is the second USS Little Rock with the first, (CL-92/CLG-4/CG-4), a Cleveland/Galveston-class light/ guided missile cruiser launched in 1945, decommissioned in 1976 and currently part of the museum at Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park– hence the Buffalo tie-in.

Video by Bart Schrum, Defense Media Activity