FLORIDA, USA — We have an update on the status of a Navy ship which has ties to Buffalo an unfortunately a difficult legacy.
As you may recall the USS Little Rock LCS 9 was commissioned here in Buffalo in December of 2017.
The Little Rock, which cost taxpayers over $350 million, was actually on the Navy's chopping block along with similar ships to be decommissioned and scrapped or sold because of costly repairs to its propulsion system.
Navy officials have been frustrated with the Freedom variant of the Littoral Class of ships like the Little Rock because of frequent breakdowns and other issues. Littoral means they were originally designed to be deployed close inshore for surface warfare, anti-submarine, and other missions.
As we reported previously, the Pentagon, in its 2022 budget, was actually prepared to take the relatively young ship out of service early.
But for now, it is currently assigned to a drug interherediction mission off the coast of South America. It has a crew of over 100 with a special Coast Guard law enforcement unit and assigned helicopter to help other nations in a task force to search boats and ships suspected of being involved with drug trafficking.
A Navy press release says "The Ship's size, speed, and agility make 'LCS' ideal for narcotics interdictions, partner engagements, and port access."
The USS Little Rock LCS 9 is now based in Mayport, Florida with the US 4th Fleet and US Southern Command.
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