WASHINGTON, D.C. - Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced Friday that the next Independence variant littoral combat ship (LCS) will be named for former Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Giffords is known for supporting the military and veterans.
Mabus announced that the ship's sponsor will be Roxanna Green, mother of Christina-Taylor Green, the nine-year-old girl who was killed while attending the meeting of constituents where Giffords was shot last year. Naval tradition holds that a ship's sponsor plays an important role in the life of the ship, with the individual's spirit and presence guiding the ship throughout its service life.
The USS Gabrielle Giffords will be 419 feet in length, have a waterline beam of 103 feet, displace approximately 3,000 tons, and make speed in excess of 40 knots. The construction will be led by Austal Shipbuilding in Mobile, Ala.
This is the 17th ship to be named for a woman, and the 13th ship to be named for a living person since 1850.