WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 -- The U.S. Navy issued the following news release:
The Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Billings (LCS 15) returned to Naval Station Mayport Oct. 10, 2026, following a 6-month deployment to U.S. Fourth Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. Southern Command's (USSOUTHCOM) mission.
During the deployment, Billings conducted sustained maritime security operations to support regional counter-illicit trafficking efforts. The crew worked alongside an embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment and a Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 48 detachment, supporting multiple successful interdictions that resulted in the seizure of more than 2,500 kilograms of illicit narcotics and the apprehension of suspected ...