U.S. Navy commissions new combat ship, USS Detroit

DETROIT, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy commissioned the USS Detroit in its namesake city.

A crowd of 4,000 along the Detroit River at the Renaissance Center watched the combat ship's ceremonies.

"Like the city of Detroit, this ship is tough, resilient and in good hands," said U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, one of several dignitaries who addressed the crowd.

The USS Detroit, the sixth U.S. Navy ship to carry the city's name, is the nation's seventh Littoral Combat Ship. It joined three other Freedom-variant ships in the fleet: USS Freedom, USS Fort Worth and USS Milwaukee. The Independence variant team is led by Austal USA.

Six Freedom ships are under constrution by Lockheed Martin.

"This ship represents so much," said Ray Mabus, secretary of the Navy, said in a release. "It represents the city of Detroit, the motor city. It represents the highly skilled American workers of our nation's industrial base, the men and women who built this great warship and it represents the American spirit of hard work, patriotism and perseverance. The USS Detroit will carry these values around the world for decades to come as the newest ship in our nation's growing fleet."

The USS Detroit, which was built in Marinette, Wis., near Green Bay, and delivered to the Navy on Aug. 12, is 389 feet long and can reach speeds of 40 knots, or about 46 mph.

"The entire Lockheed Martin-led LCS team is honored to have delivered USS Detroit and witness the ship being commissioned and brought to life in her namesake city," Joe North, vice president of Littoral Ships and Systems said in a release. "For decades to come, USS Detroit will serve in the defense of our great nation, enabling the U.S. Navy to carry out its missions around the world and representing our nation where and when needed."

The ship has been in Detroit since Oct. 14 for tours and other events. It will spend four days along the Detroit River in Windsor, Ontario. Then, it will be based out of Mayport, Fla., as part of the Atlantic Fleet.

The 70-person crew is aboard the ship that "will combine with aviation assets to deploy manned and unmanned vehicles and sensors in support of mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare or surface warfare missions," according to a release.