MARINETTE, Wis., Sept. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT)-led industry team launched the 13th Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) into the Menominee River at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard on Sept. 17.

Ship sponsor, Kate Lehrer, christened LCS 13, the future USS Wichita, in Navy tradition by breaking a champagne bottle across the ship's bow just prior to the launch.

"It is an honor and privilege to serve as the sponsor of the future USS Wichita and to be a part of this major milestone in the ship's journey towards joining the great U.S. Navy fleet," Lehrer said. "I look forward and to an ongoing relationship with Wichita's future crews and their families throughout the ship's service."

LCS 13 will undergo additional outfitting and testing at Fincantieri Marinette Marine before the ship's anticipated delivery next year.

"The christening and launch of LCS 13 marks an important step in her journey towards joining the fleet," said Joe North, vice president of Littoral Ships and Systems. "The Freedom-variant LCS plays a critical role in the U.S. Navy's maritime security strategy, and we are committed to getting LCS 13 and her highly capable sister ships into combatant commanders' hands as quickly as possible."

The Lockheed Martin-led industry team is currently in full-rate production of the Freedom-variant, with six ships under construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine and three more in long-lead material procurement. The ship's design and open architecture allows the Navy to rapidly acquire and deploy a fleet of highly flexible and capable ships at a fraction of the cost of other platforms.

"Fincantieri Marinette Marine is proud to christen and launch another Freedom-variant warship that will enable our Navy to carry out its missions where and when needed," said Jan Allman, Fincantieri Marinette Marine president and CEO. "We continue to optimize our production processes and leverage the craftsmanship and skills of our employees to produce these high quality vessels for our sailors."

LCS 13 will be the third U.S. Navy ship named USS Wichita. Previous ships to bear the name included a World War II heavy cruiser (CA-45) and a Wichita-class Replenishment Oiler (AOR-1).

The Lockheed Martin-led LCS team is comprised of shipbuilder Fincantieri Marinette Marine, naval architect Gibbs & Cox, and more than 500 suppliers in 37 states. The Freedom-variant's steel monohull is based on a proven, survivable design recognized for its stability and reliability. With 40 percent reconfigurable shipboard space, the hull is ideally suited to accommodate additional lethality and survivability upgrades associated with the Freedom-variant Frigate.

For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com/lcs

About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 98,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

About Fincantieri Marinette Marine
Founded in 1942, Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) is located on the Menominee River flowage into Green Bay. The largest shipyard in the Midwest, FMM has delivered more than 1,300 vessels to the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and commercial customers, including the technologically advanced Littoral Combat Ship Freedom variant for the U.S. Navy. In 2008, FMM along with several sister shipyards also based in the Great Lakes region, became part of FINCANTIERI, one of the world's largest shipbuilding groups and number one by diversification and innovation, with almost 19,000 employees, of whom more than 7,800 in Italy, 20 shipyards in 4 continents.  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 FMM's transformation into what is now one of the best shipyards in the United States. Employing approximately 1,500 employees, today FMM 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, Virginia. 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.

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SOURCE Lockheed Martin