USS Little Rock (LCS-9) is a Freedom-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy, representing the second vessel named after Arkansas's capital city. As a Freedom-class LCS, she features a monohull design characterized by a length of approximately 388 feet and a beam of around 58 feet, optimized for operations close to shore. The ship's construction began with the keel laying on 27 June 2013, and she was christened on 18 July 2015. The vessel's construction costs are estimated between $300 million and $350 million. The USS Little Rock incorporates design enhancements over earlier Freedom-class ships, including a lengthened stern transom and buoyancy tanks added to improve stability and weight capacity. She also features automated sensors intended to facilitate condition-based maintenance, reducing crew workload and fatigue experienced during her initial deployment. Her construction was completed with a high level of success, culminating in acceptance trials on Lake Michigan in August 2017, where she achieved the highest score of any Freedom-variant LCS to date, earning the symbolic honor of flying brooms atop her mast. Commissioned on 16 December 2017 at Buffalo, New York, USS Little Rock was the first U.S. Navy ship to be commissioned alongside her namesake. Her home port was established at Mayport Naval Station, Florida, where she was assigned to Littoral Combat Ship Squadron Two. Her early service included participation in New York City's Fleet Week in May 2018, where she was open for public tours. In 2020, she was reported to be equipped with a laser weapon system, likely the HELIOS system developed by Lockheed Martin. USS Little Rock conducted her first deployment in February 2020 to U.S. Southern Command, supporting operations against drug trafficking in Central American waters. She was scheduled for inactivation in FY 2022 but was retained after congressional intervention. Ultimately, she was decommissioned on 29 September 2023 and is now moored at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, with plans for possible sale to a foreign military.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.