Keel Authentications

The US Navy held a keel laying and authentication ceremony for the future littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Marinette at Fincantieri Marinette Marine’s Wisconsin shipyard on Wednesday, March 27. (Baird Maritime)

Original article appears courtesy of U.S. Navy

The U.S. Navy held a keel laying and authentication ceremony for the future littoral combat ship USS Marinette (LCS 25) in Marinette, Wisconsin March 27.

The keel laying symbolically recognizes the joining of the ship’s components and the ceremonial beginning of the ship.

“This keel laying is extra special. LCS 25 is the second ship to bear the city’s name and the Freedom variant is being built there. The Navy and Marinette have a rich history. Minesweepers and liberty ships built in Marinette provided convoy support in the Atlantic against German U-boats during the run-up to WWII,” said Capt. Mike Taylor, LCS program manager. 

Marinette will be the first commissioned ship and second overall in U.S. naval service to be named after the city along the Menominee River. The initial Marinette in Navy service was a Nantick-class large harbor tug (YTB-791), also built in Marinette and in active service for nearly four decades (1967-2005). 

The initials of former Michigan governor and ship’s sponsor, Jennifer M. Granholm, were welded onto a keel plate that will be permanently affixed to the ship.

The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom variant and the Independence variant, designed and built by two industry teams. This ship is being built by an industry team led by Lockheed Martin at Fincantieri Marinette Marine. The Lockheed Martin-led team builds the odd-numbered hulls. The Independence variant team is led by Austal USA, in Mobile, Alabama, (for LCS 6 and subsequent even-numbered hulls).

LCS is a highly maneuverable, lethal and adaptable ship designed to support focused mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare missions. The Freedom-variant LCS integrates new technology and capability to affordably support current and future mission capability from deep water to the littorals.

Several additional Freedom-variant ships are under construction in Marinette. The future USS Indianapolis (LCS 17) is preparing for trials this summer. The future USS St. Louis (LCS 19) was christened and launched in December. The future USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21), Cooperstown (LCS 23) and Nantucket (LCS 27) are in various stages of production. Beloit (LCS 29) and Cleveland (LCS 31) were recently awarded.

The littoral combat ship is now the second-largest surface ship class in the U.S. Navy. In 2018, five LCSs were delivered to the fleet, and four are planned for delivery in 2019 — a pace not seen since the 1990s. 

Ship Sponsor Ellyn Dunford traces her initials before Ingalls Shipbuilding welder Cedric Harman welds them into a steel plate to be fastened to the ship during the keel authentication ceremony of the future USS Bougainville (LHA 8) at Huntington Ingalls Industries Pascagoula shipyard March 14. (Photo by Samantha Crane)

Original article appears courtesy of NAVSEA

The keel laying and authentication ceremony for the future USS Bougainville (LHA 8) was held at the Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division (HII), March 14. 

The ship’s sponsor, Ellyn Dunford, authenticated the keel by welding her initials into the keel plate.

Traditionally, keel laying marks the first step in ship construction. However, with today’s advanced modular shipbuilding, the keel laying ceremony now recognizes the joining together of a ship’s components and is a major milestone in the ship’s construction. Fabrication of Bougainville began in October 2018.    

“We are honored to have Ellyn Dunford with us today to commemorate this milestone,” said Tom Rivers, Amphibious Warfare Program Manager, PEO Ships. “The production team has made steady progress and we look forward to bringing the next generation of amphibious capabilities to the Navy and Marine Corps warfighters.” 

The future USS Bougainville is the third ship of the America (LHA 6) class of amphibious assault ships built to facilitate forward presence and power projection. LHA 8 is the first Flight I ship of the America class with a reincorporated well deck to increase operational flexibility while maximizing the aviation capability inherent on the Flight 0 ships, USS America and the future USS Tripoli. 

Designed to support the Marine Corps tenets of Operational Maneuver from the Sea and Ship to Objective Maneuver, America class ships are capable of rapid combat power buildup ashore The America class accommodates the Marine Corps’ Air Combat Element including F-35B Joint Strike Fighter and MV-22 Osprey, essential to maintaining power projection, air superiority, and theater logistics.  

HII’s Pascagoula shipyard is also currently in production on Tripoli (LHA 7), the guided missile destroyers Delbert D. Black (DDG 119), Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123), Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), and amphibious transport dock ships, Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) and Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29).  The shipyard is also under contract for six Flight III Arleigh Burke class destroyers awarded as part of the FY18-22 multiyear procurement.     

As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, boats and craft.

Retired U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., signed a steel plate at the keel laying for the future USS Carl M. Levin, named after him. (Photo courtesy of General Dynamics Bath Iron Works/Facebook)

Original article appears courtesy of U.S. Navy

The keel of the future USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120) was ceremoniously laid at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) shipyard, Feb. 1.

Speakers at the ceremony included Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, Secretary of the Navy, Richard Spencer, the ship’s namesake, former Sen. Carl Levin, and Reps. Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden.

Sen. Levin and the ship’s sponsors, his three daughters, Kate Levin Markel, Erica Levin, and Laura Levin, authenticated the keel by etching their initials into the keel plate to symbolically recognize the joining of modular components and the ceremonial beginning of the ship.

“We are honored to be celebrating this milestone with Sen. Levin, Mrs. Levin, their daughters, and so many distinguished guests,” said Capt. Casey Moton, DDG 51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “This has been a special occasion to lay the keel for our Nation’s 70th Arleigh Burke destroyer, and to do so with a namesake that shares the same sense of purpose and commitment to service as our sailors.”

The ship’s namesake served in the U.S. Senate for 36 years from 1979-2015. As the longest serving senator in Michigan state history, Levin became a staunch supporter of the armed services through his work and leadership as Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services.

DDG 120 will be built in the Flight IIA configuration with the Aegis Baseline 9 Combat System which includes Integrated Air and Missile Defense capability. This system delivers quick reaction time, high firepower, and increased electronic countermeasures capability for Anti-Air Warfare. Delivery to the fleet is planned for Fiscal Year 2021.

These multi-mission surface combatants serve as integral assets in global maritime security, engaging in air, undersea, surface, strike and ballistic missile defense, as well as providing increased capabilities in anti-submarine warfare, command and control, and anti-surface warfare.

In addition to Carl M. Levin (DDG 120), BIW has four additional Arleigh Burke class destroyers under construction – Daniel Inouye (DDG 118), John Basilone (DDG 122), Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124) and Patrick Gallagher (DDG 127), as well as the Zumwalt class destroyer Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002). BIW is under contract for an additional six Arleigh Burke class destroyers that will all be constructed in the Flight III configuration with enhanced Air and Missile Defense capabilities.

As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, boats and craft.

(Twitter/Austal USA)

Original article appears courtesy of UPI

The U.S. Navy laid the keel for its 12th Expeditionary Fast Transport, the future USNS Newport, at Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Ala.

During a ceremony, the keel of the fast transport ship was “truly and fairly laid” and was authenticated by sponsor Charlotte Dorrance Marshall of Newport, R.I. The board member of the Hamilton Family Charitable Trust signed her initials into the keel plate of the future Newport, which will be the fourth ship named after the Rhode Island city. A completion date wasn’t announced.

We are excited to celebrate a major milestone in the construction of the 12th EPF of the class,” Capt. Scot Searles, Strategic and Theater Sealift program manager of Program Executive Office Ships, said in a Navy news release. “These ships have proven versatility and capability, allowing them to be strategic assets to our fleet and partners abroad.”

The non-combatant vessels are designed to operate in shallow-draft ports and waterways for a wide range of activities, including humanitarian assistance and relief operations in small or damaged ports.

It carries a civilian crew under Navy command like other USNS ships but often has military personnel attached.

EPFs can transport 600 short tons 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots. The ships include airline-style seating for 312 embarked forces and fixed berthing for 104.

Nine ships in the class are currently operational.

The 10th EPF, the USNS Burlington, was delivered to the Navy last November. Austal USA is currently in production on the No. 11 EPF, the Puerto Rico. The Navy issued Austal contracts in late 2018 for EPF 13 and EPF 14.

A welder authenticates the keel of LCS 23, the future USS Cooperstown, by welding the initials of keel authenticator Ellen R. Tillapaugh, Mayor of the Village of Cooperstown, New York. The Keel Laying is the formal recognition of the start of the ship’s module construction process. (Lockheed Martin)

Original article appears courtesy of Lockheed Martin

The Lockheed Martin-led industry team officially laid the keel for the U.S. Navy’s 23^rd Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), the future USS Cooperstown, in a ceremony held at Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wisconsin.

Ellen R. Tillapaugh, Mayor of the Village of Cooperstown, New York, completed the time-honored tradition and authenticated the keel by welding her initials onto a steel plate that will be placed in the ship.

“It is a tremendous honor to authenticate the keel for the future USS Cooperstown,” Tillapaugh said. “Ships and their crews have a special bond with their namesake, and I know the village of Cooperstown will proudly support this ship throughout her construction, and when she is commissioned and enters the Navy fleet.”

The Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine team is currently in full-rate production of the Freedom-variant of the LCS, and has delivered five ships to the U.S. Navy to date. The future USS Cooperstown is one of eight ships in various stages of construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine.

“We are proud to build another proven warship that allows our Navy to carry out their missions around the world,” said Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin vice president of small combatants and ship systems. “We look forward to working with the U.S. Navy to continue building and delivering highly capable and adaptable Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ships to the fleet.”

LCS 23 will be the first vessel named for Cooperstown. Her name honors the veterans who are members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame located in the namesake city. These 64 men served in conflicts ranging from the Civil War through the Korean War.

Lockheed Martin’s Freedom-variant LCS is highly maneuverable, lethal and adaptable. Originally designed to support focused missions such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare, the team continues to evolve capabilities based on rigorous Navy operational testing; sailor feedback and multiple successful fleet deployments. The Freedom-variant LCS integrates new technology and capability to support mission capability from deep water to the littorals.

(Flickr/Austal USA)

Original article appears courtesy of NAVSEA

The U.S. Navy held a keel laying and authentication ceremony for the future USS Mobile (LCS 26) at Austal USA’s shipyard on Dec. 14.

The ship’s sponsor, Rebecca Byrne, wife of Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Ala., authenticated the keel for the 13th Independence variant of the littoral combat ship (LCS) during the ceremony. While keel laying traditionally represents the formal start of a ship’s construction, fabrication of the ship begins months in advance. Today, keel laying continues to symbolically recognize the joining of the ship’s components and the ceremonial beginning of the ship.

The LCS seaframe program manager’s representative, Cmdr. Chris Addington, commended the Austal USA shipbuilders at the event.

“With the learning and improvements that the Austal team has forged into this hull, this 13th ship of the Independence variant will certainly be the best yet,” he said. “Thanks to all of you for the effort that will be put into completing this great ship that will exemplify its namesake city.”

LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, while capable of open-ocean tasking and winning against 21st-century coastal threats such as submarines, mines and swarming small craft. They are capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control and deterrence.

There are currently four other Independence variant LCSs undergoing construction at Austal USA, with three additional ships in pre-production planning.

Keel Laying Ceremony 8/9/18 (Austal USA)

Original article appears courtesy of the Military Sealift Command

A ceremony celebrating the keel authentication of the Navy’s eleventh Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport ship, the future USNS Puerto Rico (EPF 11), was held at Mobile, Alabama, shipyard of Austal USA, the ship’s manufacturer. Puerto Rico will be the third ship in naval service named after the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, honoring its historically strong ties to the military.

A keel laying is the formal recognition of the start of a ship’s construction, as the keel is the symbolic backbone of a ship. The keel was said to be “truly and fairly laid” as it was authenticated by the ship’s sponsor, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, by welding her initials into the keel plate.
“We are honored that Justice Sotomayor is able to participate as the ship sponsor in this major production milestone,” said Capt. Scot Searles, Strategic and Theater Sealift program manager, Program Executive Office Ships.“Our industry and Navy teams are committed to delivering this highly capable platform and today’s milestone marks our progress towards delivering operational flexibilities to the Navy force.”

Expeditionary Fast Transport ships are versatile vessels designed to operate in shallow-draft ports and waterways, increasing operational flexibility for a wide range of activities including maneuver and sustainment, relief operations in small or damaged ports, flexible logistics support or as the key enabler for rapid transport.

They are capable of interfacing with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities, as well as on/off-loading vehicles such as a fully combat-loaded Abrams Main Battle Tank. Each vessel includes a flight deck to support day and night aircraft launch and recovery operations. The EPF class ships will have airline-style seating for 312 embarked forces with fixed berthing for 104.

As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships are responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, sealift ships, support ships, and boats.

(Austal USA)

Original article appears courtesy of Defpost

Austal USA has laid the keel for the U.S. Navy’s Independence variant littoral combat ship, the future USS Oakland (LCS 24), during a ceremony at its shipyard in Mobile, Alabama on July 20.

Ship’s sponsor Kate Brandt ceremoniously laid the keel for the twelfth Independence variant ship of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program, during the ceremony. She will be the third Navy ship to bear the name of Oakland, California.

While keel laying traditionally represents the formal start of a ship’s construction, advanced modular shipbuilding allows fabrication of the ship to begin months in advance. Today, keel laying continues to symbolically recognize the joining of the ship’s components and the ceremonial beginning of the ship’s construction.

In the coming months, Austal will pull one million feet of cable, install 550,000 square feet of insulation, weld 75,000 feet of pipe and shape 850 metric tons of aluminum into the multi mission warship.

Austal has delivered two Independence variant LCS – USS Manchester (LCS 14) and future USS Tulsa (LCS 16) – to the Navy in 2018 while another six are under construction including the future USS Oakland (LCS 24).

Future USS Charleston (LCS 18) is preparing for acceptance trials. Assembly is underway on future USS Cincinnati (LCS 20) and future USS Kansas City (LCS 22) and modules for future USS Mobile (LCS 26) and future USS Savannah (LCS 28) are under construction. Additionally, Austal has one more LCS in a pre-construction phase, the future USS Canberra (LCS 30).

LCS is a high speed, agile, shallow draft, mission-focused surface combatant designed for operations in the littoral environment, yet fully capable of open ocean operations.

As part of the surface fleet, LCS has the ability to counter and outpace evolving threats independently or within a network of surface combatants. Paired with advanced sonar and mine hunting capabilities, LCS provides a major contribution, as well as a more diverse set of options to commanders, across the spectrum of operations.

Each LCS will be outfitted with a mission package made up of reconfigurable mission modules containing warfighting systems and support equipment. A dedicated crew will combine with aviation assets to deploy manned and unmanned vehicles and sensors in support of mine countermeasures (MCM), anti-submarine warfare (ASW) or surface warfare (ASuW) missions.

An interchangeable mission package is embarked on each LCS and provides the primary mission systems in one of these warfare areas.

The LCS-class consists of the Freedom-variant and Independence-variant, designed and built by two industry teams. The Freedom-variant team is led by Lockheed Martin (for the odd-numbered ships, e.g. LCS 1) while the Independence-variant team is led by Austal USA (for LCS 6 and follow-on even-numbered ships).

Irene Hirano Inouye, future USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118) sponsor and wife of the late Sen. Daniel Inouye, presents her initials on the keel plate following the ship’s keel authentication ceremony in Bath, Maine, May 14. (Photo by (Courtesy of) Dennis Griggs, Bath Iron Works)

Original article appears courtesy of NAVSEA

The keel of the future USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118) was ceremoniously laid on May 14 at the Bath Iron Works (BIW) shipyard. 

Irene Hirano Inouye, the ship’s sponsor and wife of the late Sen. Daniel Inouye, was in attendance to authenticate the keel. During the ceremony, Mrs. Hirano Inouye etched her initials into the keel plate to symbolically recognize the joining of modular components and the ceremonial beginning of the ship.

“We are honored to have Mrs. Hirano Inouye authenticate the keel of the future USS Daniel Inouye,” said Capt. Casey Moton, DDG 51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships.  “We wish the men and women who sail this exceptionally capable ship the same courageous spirit the late Sen. Inouye embodied.” 

The ship’s namesake, Daniel Inouye, served as a United States Senator from Hawaii from 1963 until his death in 2012. Sen. Inouye received the Medal of Honor for his heroism while serving with the 442nd Infantry Regiment in Italy during World War II. During an assault on April 21, 1945, he lost his right arm but continued to fight until the Regiment’s position was secured. 

DDG 118 will be built in the Flight IIA configuration with the Aegis Baseline 9 Combat System which includes Integrated Air and Missile Defense capability.  This system delivers quick reaction time, high firepower, and increased electronic countermeasures capability for Anti-Air Warfare.

These multi-mission surface combatants serve as integral assets in global maritime security, engaging in air, undersea, surface, strike and ballistic missile defense, as well as providing increased capabilities in anti-submarine warfare, command and control, and anti-surface warfare. 

BIW is also currently in production on the future destroyers Carl M. Levin (DDG 120), John Basilone (DDG 122), Harvey C. Barnum (DDG 124) – with start of construction on DDG 124 set to ceremoniously begin later this week – as well as the future Zumwalt-class destroyer, Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002). 

As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft.

Matron of Honor Mary Easley welds the initials of Lance Corporal Miguel Keith’s mother.
(NASSCO)

Original article appears courtesy of General Dynamics/NASSCO

A time honored ceremony was held at General Dynamics NASSCO on January 30, 2018.

Keel laying is a long-recognized tradition of laying down the backbone of a ship. It is a milestone that marks when a ship begins to come to life. With the help of our NASSCO weld team, Mrs. Mary Easley, matron of honor and close friend of the Keith Family, welded Mrs. Delores Keith’s initials, the mother of the ship’s namesake, onto the keel plate. These initials will be a permanent part of the ship’s structure.

Miguel Keith, a native of San Antonio, Texas, began serving his country during the Vietnam War at the age of 18. On May 8, 1970, his platoon was subjected to heavy ground attack by an enemy force greatly outnumbering their own. Miguel was seriously wounded. Despite his injuries, Lance Corporal Keith demonstrated conspicuous gallantry and courage under fire. He ran across fire-swept terrain to deliver a hail of devastating machine-gun fire against the enemy.

A grenade detonated near Keith, injuring him further.

He got up again and charged an estimated 25 enemy soldiers who were massing to attack.

The vigor of his assault and his well-placed gun fire eliminated four enemy soldiers and caused the rest to retreat. Miguel’s heroic efforts contributed to the success of his platoon that day. During this combat, Miguel sustained mortal injuries.

Miguel’s valor and undaunted courage as a United States Marine resulted in him being posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The USNS Miguel Keith (ESB 5) will carry Miguel’s legacy and the legacy of America to people all over the world. The men and women of General Dynamics NASSCO are honored to build this ship that will bear his name.