Keel Laid for USS Nantucket

Original article appears courtesy of WLUK/Marinette, WI

A keel-laying ceremony is held at Marinette Marine in Wisconsin for the future USS Nantucket, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019. (WLUK/Jessie Basinski)

A keel laying ceremony in Wisconsin marked the ceremonial start of construction of the next ship to carry the name Nantucket.

WLUK-TV reported that Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine hosted the keel laying ceremony on Wednesday for LCS-27. The littoral combat ship will be the next USS Nantucket.

The ship’s sponsor and secretary of the Navy’s wife, Polly Spencer, authenticated the keel by welding onto the steel plate to be placed on the ship’s hull.

Marinette Marine was awarded the contract to build the future USS Nantucket two years ago.

The USS Nantucket will be the third commissioned U.S. Navy ship to honor the maritime history of the Massachusetts island, and the first in 150 years.