MARINETTE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Breaking the champagne bottle is a tradition marking the christening of warships for years.
Saturday, the USS Marinette took it’s turn.
What’s not so traditional is what comes next.
It’s the second naval ship named in the city’s honor, but first to be commissioned. It’s part of the Freedom variant LCS fleet.
The warship is starting its journey needing repairs, after the Navy found a flaw in the ships gear system.
Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy Research, Development and Acquisition Frederick Stefany says his team is doing everything in its power to resolve the issue.
“The team that’s doing the fix and is doing all of the gear work are quite focused. We may be able to get an additional team there later, but right now we’re trying to get one ship done at a time.”
While shipbuilders have already started work on repairs with the completion of one ship so far, Stefany says it’s hard to say what the timetable is.
“I’m not ready to put out a specific schedule for the remainder of the in-service ships.”
Meaning it’s not clear when USS Marinette will be running at full steam.
Still, shipbuilders praise Saturday’s step.
“This is going to be a navy warship that’s gonna be around for a long time. Marinette’s going to be known all around the world and it will be well represented,”
Fincantieri Marinette Marine CEO Mark Vandroff says designs are underway for new, larger, ships.
“I mean if you look back behind me and see the Marinette, as big and beautiful as it is, the constellation is twice the size of the Marinette in gross tonnage.”
With another ship complete in the Marinette shipyard, work continues on the new ones.
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