The Navy on Saturday christened the future USS Kingsville, the 18th trimaran-variant littoral combat ship that will be based in San Diego.
Ship sponsor Katherine L. Kline broke a bottle of sparkling wine over the bow of the warship at the Austal USA shipyard in Alabama.
The warship is named for Kingsville, TX, the location of a Naval air station, and Kline is a sixth-generation member of the King family. Her father, Lieutenant Commander Richard Sugden, was a Navy flight surgeon.
“It is an honor and privilege to serve as the sponsor of the future USS Kingsville,” said Kline. “I am so proud of the significant role that the namesake city has played in our nation’s security throughout its long history.”
“I know the ship will carry that legacy of service forward as she and her crew enter the fleet to proudly serve our Navy and our nation,” she said.
The new ship is 418 feet in length, armed with guns, missiles and helicopters, and can reach speeds of over 50 mph.
All of the littoral ships in the trimaran variant of the class are stationed at Naval Base San Diego. Ships of the second, monohull variant, which have been plagued by technical problems, are based in Florida.