MARINETTE, Wis., Oct. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT]-led industry team launched the nation's seventh Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), Detroit, into the Menominee River at Marinette Marine Corporation (MMC).

The ship's sponsor, Mrs. Barbara Levin, christened Detroit with the traditional smashing of a champagne bottle across the ship's bow just prior to the launch.

"It is a privilege to serve as the sponsor of the future USS Detroit and to participate in the major milestones along the way to her assuming her place as part of the great U.S. Navy fleet," said Mrs. Levin. "I also look forward to an ongoing relationship with her courageous crews and their families throughout the ship's lifetime."

Following christening and launch, Detroit will continue to undergo outfitting and testing before delivery to the Navy in 2015.

"It is an honor to continue supporting the U.S. Navy with these capable and flexible warships," said Dale P. Bennett, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems and Training business. "The Lockheed Martin-led team's LCS design is lethal, survivable, and affordable. These ships will help the Navy achieve its goal to increase forward presence, and can be upgraded or modified quickly to meet future missions."

The U.S. Navy awarded the contract to construct Detroit in March 2011. The ship is one of five currently under construction at Marinette Marine.

"On behalf of Marinette Marine, we are incredibly proud to build these ships for the U.S. Navy," said Jan Allman, MMC president and CEO. "We continue to streamline our processes and leverage the craftsmanship and skills of our employees in producing these high quality vessels for our warfighters."

The Lockheed Martin-led industry team is building the Freedom-variant ships, and has already delivered two ships to the U.S. Navy. USS Freedom (LCS 1) completed a successful deployment to Southeast Asia in 2013. USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) will deploy to Southeast Asia in 2014. Milwaukee (LCS 5) will be delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2015. Detroit (LCS 7) was christened and launched on Oct. 18, 2014. Little Rock (LCS 9), Sioux City (LCS 11) and Wichita (LCS 13) are under construction. Billings (LCS 15) will begin construction this year.

Earlier this year, the Navy funded Indianapolis (LCS 17) and LCS 19, which is yet to be named.

About Lockheed Martin 
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 113,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's net sales for 2013 were $45.4 billion.

About Marinette Marine
Founded in 1942, Marinette Marine Corporation (MMC) is located on the Menominee River flowage into Green Bay. The largest shipyard in Wisconsin and the Midwest, MMC has delivered more than 1,300 vessels for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and commercial customers, including the technologically advanced Littoral Combat Ship Freedom class for the U.S. Navy. In 2008, MMC along with several sister shipyards also based in the Great Lakes region, became part of FINCANTIERI SpA, the largest shipbuilder in the western Hemisphere and the fourth largest in the world. FINCANTIERI operates in the United States through its subsidiary Fincantieri Marine Group, serving both civilian and government customers. Over the past five years, FINCANTIERI invested more than $100 million in both capital infrastructure and its resources to support MMC's transformation into what is now one of the best shipyards in the United States. Employing approximately 1,400 employees, today MMC is a state-of-the-art, full service new construction shipyard.

About Gibbs & Cox
Gibbs & Cox, the nation's leading independent maritime solutions firm specializing in naval architecture, marine engineering and design, is headquartered in Arlington, Va. The company, founded in 1929, has provided designs for nearly 80 percent of the current U.S. Navy surface combatant fleet; approaching 7,000 naval and commercial ships have been built to Gibbs & Cox designs. 

For additional information about Lockheed Martin, visit:
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/mst/ and http://www.lmlcsteam.com

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SOURCE Lockheed Martin