Article Posted on : - Nov 19, 2014

An Austal Photo

MOBILE, ALABAMA (BNS): Austal USA and the US Navy has celebrated the christening of the future USS Montgomery (LCS 8).

Montgomery was the second Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) christened at Austal USA this year and the second ship named for Montgomery, Alabama.

The Independence-variant LCS are 127-metre (419-foot) aluminium trimarans, capable of being outfitted with reconfigurable payloads (mission packages) which can be changed to support mine countermeasure, anti-submarine and surface warfare missions.

The vessel has a maximum speed of more than 40 knots. Montgomery was launched in August and is making preparations for trials and delivery late next summer.

US Navy tradition dictates that each ship constructed for the service be honored on four historic ceremonial occasions: keel-laying, christening, commissioning, and decommissioning. When a Navy ship is christened, the recently constructed ship is solemnly dedicated, named, and committed to the sea.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus officially named the ship 'Montgomery' at a ceremony at Austal USA on March 24, 2011, attended by Austal USA's production employees.