US Navy commissions littoral combat ship Oakland

The US Navy commissioned the Independence-class littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Oakland in a ceremony on Saturday, April 17.

Oakland will be homeported in San Diego with 11 other Independence-class sister ships as part of Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One.

Oakland is the third US Navy ship to honour the city of Oakland, California. It is also the 12th Independence-class LCS to join the fleet.

The ship was delivered to the navy on June 26, 2020, following completion at Austal USA. It measures 418 feet (127 metres) long and 104 feet (31.6 metres) wide and displaces 3,421 tons (3,104 tonnes) at full load.

Armament includes a BAE Systems naval gun, four 0.50-calibre (12.7-millimetre) machine guns, and Evolved SeaRAM surface-to-air missiles.