USS Jackson (LCS-6)

In 2002, the U.S. Navy initiated a program to develop the first of a fleet of littoral combat ships. The Navy initially ordered two trimaran hulled ships from General Dynamics, which became known as the Independence-class littoral combat ships after the first ship of the class, USS Independence. Jackson is the third Independence-class littoral combat ship to be built. Jackson was built by Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. Jackson is the second Independence-class ship to carry standard long rigid-hulled inflatable boats and improvements in corrosion protection and propulsion over the original Independence (LCS-2) design. == History ==

Construction of Jackson began on 1 August 2011 with the first cutting of aluminum at Austal USA's Modular Manufacturing facility in Mobile, Alabama. The name of the ship was announced on 5 October 2011. The ship was launched on 14 December 2013. She has been assigned to Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One Jackson underwent the first of three shock trials in waters off Florida on 16 June 2016, and the last being reported having been completed the week prior to 20 July 2016. A charge of was set off at around with the ship wired with around 260 instruments to record the effects. On 23 May 2022, Jackson participated in the 28th Annual CARAT exercise with the Royal Thai Navy as a part of the Combined Task Force (CTF) 72. Jackson is attached to DESRON 7 and the US 7th Fleet. The MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter was recently deployed on the ship. Jackson is not scheduled to be decommissioned soon. ==References==