MARINETTE—A new Littoral Combat Ship built at Fincantieri Marinette Marine was christened on Saturday.
U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, ship sponsor, christened the ship by breaking a bottle of sparkling wine on the bow of LCS 25, or the future USS Marinette.
Prior to the christening, the Lockheed Martin-led team launched the ship into the water on Oct. 31, 2020. LCS 25 will begin acceptance trials next year.
“Building LCS 25 and sister ships for the U.S. Navy is an honor and we are proud to be the nation’s shipyard in the heartland,” said Mark Vandroff, Fincantieri Marinette Marine CEO. “It is especially memorable to have this ship be named for the great town it’s built in. This christening is a testament to the hard work of more than 2,500 shipbuilders who pass through our gates and build American warships.”
Unique among combat ships, LCS is designed to complete close-to-shore missions and is a growing and relevant part of the Navy’s fleet. The ship is:
- Built to be flexible. With 40 percent of the hull easily reconfigurable, LCS can be modified to integrate capabilities including over-the-horizon missiles, advanced electronic warfare systems and decoys, and in future, vertical launching systems or laser weapon systems.
- Capable of speeds in excess of 40 knots.
- Automated, with the most efficient staffing of any combat ship.
- Equipped with Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM) and a Mark 110 gun, capable of firing 220 rounds per minute.
Lockheed Martin is in full-rate production and has delivered 11 ships to the U.S. Navy. There are five ships in various stages of production.
