MARINETTE, Wis. — A new warship called the USS Fort Worth has been christened in northeast Wisconsin and launched into the Menominee River with a tremendous splash.
Minutes before today’s launch, U.S. Rep. Kay Granger of Texas christened the ship in the time-honored tradition — by smashing a bottle of champagne across its bow.
The Navy says it named the ship after the Texas city because Fort Worth has a long history of supporting the armed forces.
The 389-foot ship was built at the Marinette Marine Corp. shipyard in Marinette, Wis., in conjunction with defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. It’s called a littoral combat ship, designed to conduct water combat just off an enemy’s shore.
The ship will continue to undergo outfitting and testing before being delivered to the Navy in 2012.