Navy officials christen, launch future USS Minneapolis-St. Paul

MARINETTE, Wis. (FOX 9) - A new Navy ship set to be named after the Twin Cities hit the water on Saturday.

A christening ceremony was held Saturday morning in Marinette, Wisconsin for the brand-new Littoral Combat Ship 21 that will become the USS Minneapolis-St. Paul. The ship is designed for close-to-shore missions including counter-mine and anti-submarine missions.

"Littoral combat ships are designed to operate in more areas than a typical Navy ship, including shallow water near the coastline," said the ship’s sponsor and Northfield, Minnesota native Deputy Undersecretary of the Navy Jodi Greene. "Consequently, LCS 21 is going to bring the name ‘Minneapolis-Saint Paul’ all around the globe.”

The ship was created by Lockheed Martin, which also provided video from the christening. The company says the new ship is the Navy's fastest, most agile, and flexible.

The launch comes just days after the ship rolled off the assembly line. It is expected to be commissioned during the first half of 2020.