U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin announced Tuesday that the next littoral combat ship built in Wisconsin will be named USS Beloit to honor the city of Beloit for its contributions to the U.S. Navy and Americas national security.
The ship will be built at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Marinette. It will be 378 feet long and able to travel at speeds exceeding 40 knots, according to a U.S. Navy news release.
Fairbanks Morse, which manufactures large medium-speed diesel engines for the Navy, has been headquartered in Beloit for 125 years.
The city of Beloit has a proud history of supporting the Navy and the U.S. military, Baldwin said in the release. Citizens of Beloit have selflessly served in our armed forces, and companies like Fairbanks Morse that call the city homeand boast patriotic workforces that are second to nonehave ensured for generations that our service members can safely and successfully complete their missions.
Baldwin, a Democrat, requested that the new shipcalled LCS 29be named the USS Beloit in a memo to U.S. Navy Secretary Richard Spencer on Oct. 4.
Fairbanks Morse and Beloit officials are holding a joint press conference on the announcement at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Fairbanks Morse memorabilia room, 701 White Ave., Beloit.
