MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - The Navy is christening its newest shallow-water, near-shore combat ship in Mobile.
The USS Jackson will be christened at the Austal USA Shipyard on Mobile Bay on Saturday morning. It’s the first naval vessel named for Mississippi’s state capital.
The daughter of Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran, Katherine Holmes Cochran, will break a bottle across the ship’s hull.
The Jackson has been undergoing testing since its launch in December, and it is expected to be delivered to the Navy early next year after trials.
The Jackson is a “littoral” combat ship, meaning it’s designed to operate in shallow water.
The Obama administration proposes cutting the littoral program, which has a total projected cost to the Navy of about $34 billion. The plan could eliminate 20 of a planned 52 ships.
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