USS Billings

In 2002, the U.S. Navy initiated a program to develop the first of a fleet of littoral combat ships.[8] 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.[8][9] 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-class littoral combat ship from General Dynamics.[8] The initial order of littoral combat ships involved a total of four ships, including two of the Freedom-class design.[8]  Billings is the eighth Freedom-class littoral combat ship to be built.

Billings 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.[10] 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.[11]

Marinette Marine was awarded the contract to build the ship on 4 March 2013.[1] Construction began on 20 October 2014 and she was launched on 1 July 2017.[2] she is homeported to Naval Station Mayport, Florida and assigned to Littoral Combat Ship Squadron Two. In June 2019, Billings visited Cleveland, Ohio.[12] Billings sustained damage after hitting Rosaire Desgagnes, a bulk cargo ship in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The incident occurred on 24 June 2019. The vessel's starboard bridge wing was damaged as a result of the collision.[13] Billings was officially commissioned in Key West, Florida on 3 August 2019.[4]

On the 4 July 2021, a contingent of her crew visited their ship’s namesake city to celebrate Independence Day.[14] Later on the 10th of the same month, the ship together with the Dominican Republic Navy conducted a passing exercise (PASSEX).[15] 24 August, Billings and Burlington were dispatched to support and provide relief to Haiti after a 7.2-magnitute earthquake that struck Haiti on 14 August.[16]

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  Billings, Indianapolis and St. Louis at the Marinette Marine shipyard on 15 December 2018
• Billings launches sideways into the Menominee River in Marinette, Wisconsin on 1 July 2017

• 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.