Many elected officials from Kansas joined members of the military for the ceremony.
The USS Wichita was brought to life and a crew manned the ship at Naval Station Mayport on Saturday.
This combat ship commissioned in front of many elected officials from Kansas including Senator Jerry Moran, the City of Wichita’s Mayor Jeff Longwell and Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer.
“It’s a symbol of inspiration and strength, it’s a symbol of freedom for all of us.”
The littoral combat ship is primarily designed to operate close to shore.
But it can take on the open ocean and any threats it may pose.
It’s the third Navy combat ship to be named after the city of Wichita, Kansas.
The Navy compared its ships to computers during the commissioning speech.
The Navy describes the USS Wichita’s function like a smartphone. It’s not as big as large carrier ships, but it still has a purpose. The LCS has portability and packs a punch in a small package.
Lieutenant Junior Grade John Frey, one of the ships crew members, agrees.
“It’s a lot smaller than traditional ships. It doesn’t look quite the same but the way it can be reconfigured for different missions and the versatility this new design affords, it adds a lot to the Navy’s arsenal,” Frey said.
Frey was humbled to see hundreds of people support the USS Wichita as its crew brings the ship to life.
“It goes to show how much support there is for the Navy, for the ship and its crew,” Frey said.