New US Navy Warship Launches into Menominee River in Wisconsin

The USS Billings littoral combat ship was christened and launched into the Menominee River in Wisconsin.

Source: CNN

Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin delivered the ceremony’s principal address. Sharla Tester, the wife of Montana Senator Jon Tester, the ranking member of the Senate Veteran’s Affairs Committee, served as the ship’s sponsor.

U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin/Released (Images Source: http://www.dmitryshulgin.com/tag/freedom-variant/)

The ceremony was highlighted by Mrs. Tester breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow to formally christen the ship, a time-honored Navy tradition, reports dmitryshulgin.

The US Navy's newest Freedom-class littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Billings, has successfully been launched into the Menominee River at Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Wisconsin.