US Navy and Lockheed Martin complete acceptance trials of USS Cooperstown LCS 23 Littoral Combat Ship.

According to information published on December 14, 2020, Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 23, the future USS Cooperstown for U.S. Navy , completed acceptance trials in Lake Michigan. Trials included a full-power run, maneuverability testing, and surface and air detect-to-engage demonstrations of the ship's combat system. Major systems and features were demonstrated, including aviation support, small boat launch handling and recovery and machinery control and automation.
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Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 23, the future USS Cooperstown (Picture source Lockheed Martin)

Now that trials are complete, the ship will undergo final outfitting and fine-tuning before delivery to the U.S. Navy next year. LCS 23 is the 12th Freedom-variant LCS designed and built by the Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT)-led industry team.

Marinette Marine was awarded the contract to build the The USS Cooperstown (LCS-23) on 29 December 2010, at their shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin. The ship is a Freedom-class littoral combat ship built for the United States Navy. She was launched on 19 January 2020 and christened on 29 February 2020.

The Freedom-class and the Independence-class are the first two LCS (Littoral Combat Ship) variants. She is a resilient, flexible warship, designed from the keel up to affordably take on new capabilities including advanced sensors, missiles and cutting-edge cyber systems. Its speed, strength and versatility make it a critical tool to help sailors achieve their missions.

The design of the Freedom-class conists of a semiplaning steel monohull with an aluminum superstructure. It has a length of 115 m, a beam of 57.4 m, a drfat of 12.8 m and displaces 3,500 metric tons (3,400 long tons). he design also incorporates a large, reconfigurable seaframe to allow rapidly interchangeable mission modules, a flight deck with integrated helicopter launch, recovery and handling system, and the capability to launch and recover boats (manned and unmanned) from both the stern and side.

The Freedom-class is powered by two Rolls-Royce MT30 36 MW (48,000 hp) gas turbines, two Colt-Pielstick 16PA6B 6.8 MW (9,100 hp) diesel engines and 4 Rolls-Royce waterjets. She can reach a top speed of 47 knots (87 km/h; 54 mph) with a cruising range of 3,500 nmi (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph). She has an endurance of 21 days with a crew of 115 people.

The Freedom-class is armed with one 1 BAE Systems Mk 110 57 mm naval gun, one Mk 49 launcher with 21 RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Surface-to-Air Missiles, four .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns, two 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster II guns (part of SUW module), eight RGM-184A Naval Strike Missiles, 24 AGM-114L Hellfire missiles (planned part of SUW module) and one Lockheed Martin 150 kw High Energy Laser.