In 2002, the U.S. Navy initiated a program to develop the first of a fleet of littoral combat ships.[10] The Navy initially ordered two monohull ships from Lockheed Martin, which became known as the Freedom-class littoral combat ships after the first ship of the class, USS Freedom.[10][11] Odd-numbered U.S. Navy littoral combat ships are built using the Freedom-class monohull design, while even-numbered ships are based on a competing design, the trimaran hull Independence-classlittoral combat ship from General Dynamics.[10] The initial order of littoral combat ships involved a total of four ships, including two of the Freedom-class design.[10]Detroit is the fourth Freedom-class littoral combat ship to be built.
Detroit includes additional stability improvements over the original Freedom design; the stern transom was lengthened and buoyancy tanks were added to the stern to increase weight service and enhance stability.[12] The ship will also feature automated sensors to allow "conditions-based maintenance" and reduce crew overwork and fatigue issues that Freedom had on her first deployment.[13]
On 30 December 2016, Detroit participated in a homeport shift ceremony that took place at Naval Station Mayport. The ship was previously scheduled to be based out of Naval Base San Diego but was reassigned while en route.[16]
On 13 January 2017, Detroit completed her first flight deck evolutions to certify the flight deck for future air operations. The landings and VERTREP were conducted by the "Swamp Foxes" of HSM-74. On 8 March 2017, Detroit fired a vertical-launched AGM-114 Hellfire missile, the first such launch from a littoral combat ship.[17] The Hellfire system is meant to engage small vessels and strike targets on land.
Detroit, the fourth ship of the Freedom-class, was planned to be inactivated in FY 2022, and to join the Out of Commission in Reserve (OCIR) list, along with three other ships in the class: Freedom, Fort Worth, and Little Rock.[19] However, in the final 2022 budget, Congress blocked the Navy's request to retire the three ships.[20]
On 21 June 2023 Detroit got underway for its final deployment to the 4th fleet AOR to support regional cooperation and security.[21]
On 27 September 2023 Detroit returned to Mayport in preparation to decommission the ship two days later.[22]
On 29 September 2023, Detroit was decommissioned at Mayport.[23][24]
This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.