Keel-Laid for Navy's 10th LCS at Austal Yard
The Navy and Austal USA held a keel-laying ceremony for the future 'USS Gabrielle Giffords', the Navy's 10th littoral combat ship (LCS), in Mobile, Ala., informs the Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ships. The ship's sponsor, Roxanna Green, was unable to attend the ceremony. The ship's namesake, former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, authenticated the keel by having her initials welded into a sheet of the ship's hull. "It is a special day for all of us on the Gulf Coast to have the ship's namesake, Rep.
Navy to Name Ship USS Gabrielle Giffords
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced Feb. 10 that the next variant littoral combat ship (LCS) will be named USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10). The selection of Gabrielle Giffords, designated LCS 10, honors the former congresswoman from who is known for supporting the military and veterans, advocating for renewable energy and championing border security. Giffords recently resigned from Congress to recover from wounds she sustained in an assassination attempt in 2011. "The Navy motto is Semper Fortis, Always Courageous," said Mabus during a ceremony held in the Pentagon Courtyard.