MARINETTE, Wis., April 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT)-led industry team hosted the christening ceremony for the 17th Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard today.

Ship sponsor Jill Donnelly christened LCS 17, the future USS INDIANAPOLIS, in Navy tradition by breaking a champagne bottle across the ship's bow.

"As a native Hoosier and the daughter of two World War II veterans, there is no greater honor than to serve as the sponsor of the future USS INDIANAPOLIS," Donnelly said. "This ship pays tribute to the legacy of brave and resilient sailors, and I know the people of Indianapolis - and all Hoosiers - will support this ship and her future crews for decades to come."

The future USS INDIANAPOLIS is named in honor of the incredibly brave men and women in uniform who have served our country for generations and who continue to serve today. LCS 17 will be the fourth U.S. Navy ship to bear the Indianapolis name. She will undergo additional outfitting and testing at Fincantieri Marinette Marine before her anticipated delivery next year.

"The Freedom-variant LCS is flexible and capable, and plays a critical role in the U.S. Navy's fleet," said Joe DePietro, vice president, Small Combatants and Ship Systems at Lockheed Martin. "With an active production and testing, we are committed to delivering INDIANAPOLIS and her highly capable sister ships into combatant commanders' hands quickly."

The Lockheed Martin-led industry 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 INDIANAPOLIS is one of eight ships in various stages of construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine, with one more in long-lead production.

The Lockheed Martin-led LCS team is comprised of shipbuilder Fincantieri Marinette Marine, naval architect Gibbs & Cox, and more than 800 suppliers in 42 states. The LCS is the Navy's most affordable surface combatant shipbuilding program.

The Freedom-variant's steel monohull design is based on a proven, resilient design recognized for its stability and reliability.

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 100,000 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
Fincantieri is one of the world's largest shipbuilding groups and number one by diversification and innovation. It is a leader in cruise ship design and construction and a reference player in all high‐tech shipbuilding industry's sectors, from naval to offshore vessels, from high‐complexity special vessels and ferries to mega‐yachts, ship repairs and conversions, systems and components production and after‐sales services.

Having built more than 7,000 vessels in over 230 years of maritime history, and with around 19,400 employees and 20 shipyards on four continents, today Fincantieri is the leading Western shipbuilder. It has among its clients many of the world's major cruise operators, the Italian and the U.S. Navy, in addition to several foreign navies, and it is partner of some of the main European defense companies within supranational programs. www.fincantieri.com

Fincantieri operates in the United States through its subsidiary Fincantieri Marine Group (FMG). Fincantieri Marine Group serves government customers, including the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, with its three shipyards (Fincantieri Marinette Marine, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding and Fincantieri ACE Marine) all located in the Great Lakes Region.

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.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin