USS Mobile (LCS-26)

USS Mobile (LCS-26) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy. Named for the city of Mobile, Alabama, she is the fifth ship to carry the name.

Design
In 2002, the United States 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 ship after the first ship of the class, USS Independence (LCS-2). Even-numbered US Navy littoral combat ships are built using the Independence-class trimaran design, while odd-numbered ships are based on a competing design, the conventional monohull Freedom-class littoral combat ship. The initial order of littoral combat ships involved a total of four ships, including two of the Independence-class design. On 29 December 2010, the Navy announced that it was awarding Austal USA a contract to build ten additional Independence-class littoral combat ships.

Construction and career
Mobile was built in her namesake city by Austal USA. The Navy accepted delivery of Mobile on 9 December 2020, during a ceremony held at the Austal USA shipyards. Mobile was commissioned on 22 May 2021.

On 7 April 2024, Mobile conducted a joint patrol in the South China Sea with BRP Antonio Luna and BRP Valentin Diaz of the Philippine Navy, HMAS Warramunga of the Royal Australian Navy, and JS Akebono of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. This marked the first multinational patrol between the nations.