Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
MARINETTE, Wis. (AP) - The U.S. Navy has christened a warship named after Michigan's largest city.
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin's wife, Barbara, broke a bottle of champagne across the bow to formally christen the future USS Detroit. Barbara Levin is the ship's sponsor.
The christening took place Saturday on the Menominee River at the Marinette Marine Corp. shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin.
The ship will continue to undergo outfitting and testing before delivery to the Navy in 2015. Its home port will be in San Diego.
Lockheed Martin says the ship is capable of speeds in excess of 40 knots and can operate in water less than 20 feet deep.
Five littoral combat ships are currently being built at the Marinette shipyard. Construction on a sixth will start Monday.