MONTGOMERY – Rich in diversity and history, Montgomery, Alabama has a longstanding military tradition thanks to its proximity to Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base. That tradition today burns brighter as another branch of the armed services embraces Alabama’s capital city.
“It is a huge honor to have one of the most technologically advanced warfare systems in the world named after our city – a place known for military pride, patriotism and innovation,” Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said. “We’ve long been known as the Best Hometown in the Air Force, but with this latest recognition, we like to think that we’re quickly becoming the best hometown in the entire military!”
In March 2011, city officials announced Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus selected Montgomery as the namesake for the U.S. Navy’s new breed of warship, the Independence-Variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS 8). The ship was christened in November 2014 by ship sponsor Mary Sessions at Mobile’s Austal USA shipyard. Fast forward five years later, Strange joined USS Montgomery Commanding Officer Daniel Straub, Senior Chief Derek Monks, CS1 Monica Rodriguez and CS2 Jonathan Beck at the location of the 2011 announcement to reveal the ship will be commissioned Sept. 10 in Mobile.
Fulfilling his roles as mayor and USS Montgomery Commissioning and Support Foundation honorary chairman, Strange sought to evoke an even greater sense of community pride by inviting Air University Commander Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast and Alabama Dept. of Veterans Affairs Director Rear Admiral Clyde Marsh – both Montgomery residents – to share in today’s event by unveiling a large photo of the Montgomery. Prior to the unveiling, Strange presented Commander Straub with a broom in recognition of the ship’s sweep of its recent acceptance trials – the first time an LCS has come back from these Congressionally required rigorous tests of a ship’s systems and passed every single one.
“The USS Montgomery is the second ship named after the city of Montgomery, and it’s the fourth ship of the Independence-Variant of the littoral combat ships, and it’s undoubtedly the best,” Commander Straub said. “These are not just the enthusiastic words of the commanding officer, but this has been proven with the recent acceptance trials. These successful results only add to the excitement my crew and I feel about getting onboard the Montgomery and sailing her to do our nation’s bidding.”
Optimized for coastal missions, but capable of open-ocean operations, USS Montgomery (LCS 8) measures 418 feet in length and can reach speeds in excess of 40 knots. It will provide warfighting capability and operational flexibility to meet the ever changing maritime environment. The ship, along with its sister ship the USS Independence, can be configured to support a specific mission package tailored for the tactical environment. Mission packages include equipment and personnel aligned to excel in Surface Warfare, Undersea Warfare, and Mine Warfare.
In addition to aligning to one of the aforementioned core missions, The Montgomery is capable of conducting Search and Rescue, Maritime Surveillance and Interdiction, Intelligence gathering, and can facilitate amphibious operations as well as Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief. The ship is planned to operate in the U.S. 7th Fleet.
Commissioning tickets are available free to the public via the USS Montgomery Commissioning and Support Foundation at www.ussmontgomerycommissioning.com. For more information, contact Griffith Waller at [email protected].
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All rights reserved, 2016.
