CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — The commissioning ceremony for one of the Navy’s newest combat ships is set next month in South Carolina.
Charleston officials said in a news release Monday the USS Charleston will be commissioned during a ceremony March 2.
It’s the sixth shipped named Charleston in naval history.
Charlotte riley, wife of former Charleston Mayor Joe Riley, is the ship’s sponsor and broke a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow two years ago when it was christened in Mobile, Alabama.
The Charleston is a littoral combat ship similar to a frigate. The ships are about 400 feet (120 meters) long and have a top speed of more than 46 mph.(74.03 kph) they cost about $440 million each.
The most recent USS Charleston was a cargo ship during the Vietnam War.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.