Nichols Martin
Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri have performed the keel-laying for the USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul littoral combat ship at latter company’s Marinette Marine site in Wisconsin.
The companies are currently conducting the Freedom-class LCS’ full-rate production, having delivered five of them to the U.S. Navy, Lockheed said Thursday.
During the keel-laying ceremony, Jodi Greene, the ship’s sponsor, had her initials welded to a steel plate mounted on the 21th LCS’ hull.
Fincantieri’s Marinette Marine site is currently facilitating the construction of seven other ships, in addition to the USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul.
The 21th LCS is the second naval vessel to carry the name of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, following a submarine that the Navy decommissioned in 2008.
