Newly Launched USS Nantucket Commissioned in Boston

The Navy’s newest Freedom-variant littoral combat ship, USS Nantucket (LCS 27), arrives in Boston, Nov. 8, 2024. U. S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class George Cardenas

A new USS Nantucket—the fourth Navy vessel to be named for the island—was recently commissioned at Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston. The previous USS Nantucket was commissioned in 1862 and served during the Civil War.

The new Nantucket was built by Lockheed Martin starting in 2017 and was delivered to the Navy last June. The 388-foot ship, which will be home-ported at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida, is classified as a Freedom-class littoral combat ship, intended for operations close to shore. Powered by a water-jet propulsion system, it is capable of reaching speeds of over 40 knots and can operate in relatively shallow water.