The Santa Barbara (LCS 32) is the 16th ship in the Independence-class littoral combat ships and the third ship in the U.S. Navy named in honor of the city of Santa Barbara, California.

October 27, 2020 The keel authentication ceremony for the future USS Santa Barbara was held at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

October 16, 2021 The Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Santa Barbara was christened during a 10.45 a.m. CST ceremony at Austal USA shipyard in Mobile. Mrs. Lolita Zinke, the wife of former U.S. Secretary of Interior Ryan K. Zinke, served as sponsor of the ship.

November 11, PCU Santa Barbara exited the assembly bay #4 at Austal's facility for the first time and was transported down river, while sitting on a deck barge, to BAE Systems Southeast shipyard's floating dry-dock; Launched on Nov. 12.

January 18, 2022 The Santa Barbara moored at Vessel Completion Yard after underway for the first time to conduct Builder's (Alpha) trials; Underway again on May 11; Moored at Vessel Completion Yard, just after midnight, on May 13; Underway for acceptance trials from June 1-2.

July 21, U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the PCU Santa Barbara during a short ceremony aboard the ship.

December 1, PCU Santa Barbara moored at Vessel Completion Yard after a one-day underway in the Gulf of Mexico; Departed Mobile for the last time, en route to San Diego, on Dec. 12; Transited eastbound, off the coast of Key West, Fla., just before midnight on Dec. 13.

December 16, The Santa Barbara, commanded by Cmdr. Brian P. Sparks, moored at Berth 5, Pier 14 on Naval Station Norfolk for a 10-day port call; Moored at Wharf F2 in Naval Station Mayport for a brief stop on Dec. 28; Transited the Yucatan Channel southbound on Dec. 30.

January 2, 2023 PCU Santa Barbara moored at Pier 2N on Vasco Nunez de Balboa Naval Base for a routine port call after transited the Panama Canal southbound; Moved to Pier 2S on Jan. 4; Departed Balboa on Jan. 6; Moored at Cruise Pier in Port of Manzanillo, Mexico, from Jan. 12-15.

January 18, PCU Santa Barbara moored at Berth 2, Pier 3 in its homeport of Naval Base San Diego for the first time; Underway again on Feb. 23; Moored at Navy Fuel Farm (NFF) in Naval Base Point Loma for a brief stop to refuel on Feb. 27; Moored at Berth 2, Pier 4 on March 1.

March 23, LCS 32 moored at Bravo Pier on Naval Air Station North Island for a brief stop to onload ammo before underway in the SOCAL Op. Area; Moored at Wharf 6 in Port Hueneme from March 24-27; Brief stop off Santa Barbara, Calif., on March 27; Moored at Wharf 3 in Port Hueneme from March 27- April 4.

April 1, USS Santa Barbara was commissioned during a 10 a.m. PST ceremony on Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, California.

April 4, The Santa Barbara moored at Berth 6, Pier 4 on Naval Base San Diego; Underway for Combat Systems Ship’s Qualification Trials (CSSQT), at the Point Mugu Test Range, on April 17; Moored at Berth 1, Pier 5 on April 26; Moored at NFF for a brief stop to refuel before underway again on May 8; Moored at Berth 5, Pier 13 on May 12.

May 15, The Santa Barbara departed homeport for routine training in the SOCAL Op. Area; Brief stop at Bravo Pier before moored at Berth 5, Pier 13 on May 17; Moored at NFF for a brief stop to refuel before underway for CSSQT on May 30; Brief stop at Bravo Pier before moored at Berth 1, Pier 5 on June 2; Underway again on June 28; Brief stop at NFF to refuel before returned home on June 29.

July 13, USS Santa Barbara moored at Berth 1, Pier 5 on Naval Base San Diego after a one-day underway in the SOCAL Op. Area; Underway again from July 26-27; Day-long underway for Final Contract Trials (FCT) on Aug. 16; Underway again from Sept. 7-11.

November 22, Cmdr. Adam J. Ochs relieved Cmdr. Brian P. Sparks as CO of the Santa Barbara during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship.

December 1, USS Santa Barbara moored at Berth 1, Pier 5 after a brief underway off the coast of San Diego; Brief underway again on Dec. 5.

March 18, 2024 USS Santa Barbara departed Naval Base San Diego for routine training in the SOCAL Op. Area; Moored at NFF for a brief stop to refuel before returned home on March 21; Day-long underway on March 27; Underway again on April 1; Moored at NFF for a brief stop to refuel on April 2.

April 3, The Santa Barbara made a brief stop off the coast of its namesake city in conjunction with the commissioning anniversary; Returned home on April 5.