The ceremony will feature a principal address by the Honorable Mike Gallagher, U.S. Representative for Wisconsin’s 8th District. Additional remarks will be delivered by esteemed dignitaries including the Honorable Russell Rumbaugh, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Financial Management and Comptroller; Vice Admiral Darse E. Crandall, Jr., Judge Advocate General of the Navy; the Honorable Jean Stegeman, Mayor of Menominee, Michigan; the Honorable Steve Genisot, Mayor of Marinette, Wisconsin; and Mr. Chauncey McIntosh, Vice President and General Manager, Lockheed Martin Integrated Warfare Systems and Sensors. The ship’s sponsor, the Honorable Jennifer Granholm, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, will also grace the occasion.
LCS 25 represents the 13th Freedom-variant LCS and is the 25th in its class. It holds the distinction of being the first naval warship to proudly bear the name of Marinette, Michigan, and the third naval vessel to do so. Prior vessels named Marinette (YTB-791) and Marinette County (LST 953) also honored this community. The name was officially bestowed upon LCS 25 on Sept. 22, 2016, in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the town and its skilled shipbuilders in bringing these vessels to life, ensuring their readiness to fulfill mission objectives in alignment with the nation’s maritime strategy.
The LCS class comprises two variants, Freedom and Independence, designed and constructed by two distinct industry teams. Lockheed Martin leads the Freedom-variant team, responsible for the odd-numbered hulls, from its base in Marinette, Wisconsin, while Austal USA leads the Independence-variant team, located in Mobile, Alabama, overseeing LCS 6 and all subsequent even-numbered hulls.
Littoral combat ships are characterized by their remarkable speed, optimal manning, and mission-specific capabilities. They excel in operations within near-shore and open-ocean environments, adeptly countering 21st-century coastal threats. LCS vessels seamlessly integrate with joint, combined, and manned and unmanned teams, bolstering forward-presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions across the globe.
For those unable to attend the ceremony in person, it will be live-streamed at www.dvidshub.net/webcast/31728, with the link becoming active approximately ten minutes before the event at 9:50 a.m. CST.
Media inquiries can be directed to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342.
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