Dominique Stump
Lockheed Martin and its team of industry partners have unveiled and christened the U.S. Navy‘s 13th littoral combat ship during a ceremony at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard.
The team launched LCS 13, which will be the third Navy ship to bear the name USS Wichita, into the Menominee River in Wisconsin, Lockheed said Saturday.
The future USS Wichita is scheduled to receive additional outfitting and testing at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard before the ship’s delivery in 2017.
Ship sponsor Kate Lehrer broke a champagne bottle across the ship’s bow as part of the christening tradition, Lockheed said.
The Freedom-variant LCS features a reconfigurable shipboard space and a steel monohull designed for stability, reliability, additional lethality and survivability, the company added.
Joe North, vice president of littoral ships and systems at Lockheed, said the Freedom-class of LCS vessels supports the Navy’s maritime security strategy.
The Lockheed-led LCS team also includes Fincantieri Marinette Marine, Gibbs & Cox and 500 other suppliers across 37 states and is currently working on six ships with three others in long-lead material procurement.
