By Chicago Times Magazine –
November 19, 2025
USS Wichita has officially relieved USS St. Louis in the Navy’s southern border mission, continuing the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship’s role in supporting Northcom’s homeland defense objectives. The transition ensures continuity in maritime operations designed to augment U.S. Customs and Border Protection along the southern border. Under U.S. Northern Command’s maritime homeland defense authorities, Wichita will deploy with an embarked Coast Guard law enforcement detachment to enable interdiction missions aimed at stopping illegal drugs and other illicit activities. During its time in the Gulf of America, USS St. Louis operated with support from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 50 Detachment 5, known as the “Valkyries,” and Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 408, underscoring the joint nature of these missions.
Cmdr. Travis Snover, Wichita’s commanding officer, emphasized the ship’s readiness, stating that Wichita stands prepared to relieve St. Louis as the leading edge for Northcom’s homeland defense mission. He pledged to carry forward the dedication and impact of his shipmates, living up to Wichita’s motto as the “Keeper of the Seas.” Vice Adm. Doug Perry, commander of U.S. 2nd Fleet, reinforced the strategic importance of these deployments, noting that St. Louis’ mission exemplified the prioritization of maritime homeland defense and directly contributed to national security. He expressed confidence that Wichita would continue to support Northcom’s commitment to readiness, presence, and collaboration with partners and allies. Wichita is assigned to Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 2 and is homeported at Naval Station Mayport near Jacksonville, Florida.
Littoral combat ships are fast, agile, mission-focused warships designed for operations in near-shore environments. They are small surface combatants capable of defeating asymmetric threats in coastal waters and can operate independently or as part of a larger, networked battle force alongside cruisers and destroyers. The Freedom-class littoral combat ships, one of two designs in the Navy’s LCS program, were developed by Lockheed Martin and built at Marinette Marine in Wisconsin in the early 2000s. The first in class, USS Freedom, was commissioned in 2008 and set the standard for the design. Sixteen Freedom-class ships were planned, with ten currently active and several retired early due to mechanical issues and shifting Navy priorities.
These ships displace about 3,500 tons, reach speeds of up to 47 knots, and carry modular mission packages for surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and mine countermeasures. Despite criticism over high costs, mechanical breakdowns, and limited combat survivability, Freedom-class ships have been repurposed for missions such as counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean and homeland defense patrols. Their adaptability has allowed them to remain relevant in evolving strategic contexts, even as the Navy shifts focus toward larger, more survivable platforms. With USS Wichita now leading operations along the southern border, the Navy continues to leverage the Freedom-class platform’s speed and versatility, underscoring its enduring value in countering 21st-century threats close to America’s shores.
Feature image: USS Wichita (LCS 13) departs Naval Station Mayport, Florida, to support U.S. Northern Command – Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Brandon J. Vinson, United States Navy
