According to a release from a U.S. Navy public affairs office, the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8) on Saturday arrived in Davao City in the Philippines, the ship’s initial port visit abroad on her first deployment.
The USS Montgomery is named for Alabama’s capital city and sponsored by Montgomery-native Mary Sessions, wife of former U.S. Senator and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions
Per U.S. Naval Institute News, this is the first LCS operating forward on deployment over the past 19 months. The USS Montgomery was constructed by Austal USA in Mobile.
The Navy did not announce the departure of the USS Montgomery from its San Diego, CA homeport before the announcement Saturday that the ship arrived in the Philippines. The ship reportedly made its unpublicized departure in May.
Rear Adm. Joey Tynch, commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific, stressed the importance of the longstanding partnership between the United States and the Philippines.
“Our navies, just like our nations, have a long history of cooperation and partnership based on mutual trust, respect and decades of friendship,” Tynch said. “Every port visit and exercise we complete together continues to strengthen maritime security and regional stability.”
During the port visit, the USS Montgomery will host local military and civic leaders.
Fast, agile and mission-focused, littoral combat ships are designed to operate in near-shore environments and employ modular mission packages that can be configured for surface warfare, mine countermeasures or anti-submarine warfare.
The USS Montgomery’s arrival at port on Saturday came the same day that Austal USA in Mobile held the christening for the USS Oakland.
This was also days after Austal USA delivered its 10th Independence-class littoral combat ship to the U.S. Navy via the USS Cincinnati.
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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