Billings | Common News Update

Aug52019 by adminNo Comments

Navy to commission USS Billings Saturday in Key West

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Aug. 2 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy's 17th littoral combat ship, the Freedom-class USS Billings, will be commissioned Saturday at Naval Air Station Key West. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester is due to deliver the principle address, and his wife, Sharla, is sponsor of the ship for the commissioning, scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday in Key West. The vessel is set to be homeported in Mayport, Fla., more than 500 miles north of Key West, near Jacksonville. The commissioning will be streamed live at the Navy Live blog. Work on the Billings will continue after its commissioning as Lockheed Martin on Thursday was awarded an $ 18.8 million contract for engineering and management services on the vessel's post shakedown availability. "The future USS Billings and her crew will play an important role in the defense of...

USS Billings undergoing repairs in Montreal after striking moored ship

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June 27 (UPI) -- The USS Billings, a Freedom-class littoral combat ship, is undergoing repairs in Montreal after striking a moored merchant ship last week. The Billings, which was delivered to the Navy in February and is designated as LCS 15, made contact with the bulk carrier Rosaire Desgagnes as it was leaving its slip at 2 p.m. Friday, a U.S. Navy official told USNI News. Two tugs were assisting the warship named for the city in Montana when the starboard side of the warship made contact with the port side of the carrier moored at the pier at Montreal's Sainte-Marie neighborhood. "Billings sustained minor damage above the waterline," Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Hillson told USNI News. "While the ship is able to safely transit to its homeport, Naval Station Mayport, Fla., the ship will temporar...

Navy christens littoral combat ship USS Billings

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July 3 (UPI) -- The Navy has christened its latest Freedom-class littoral combat ship the USS Billings at a ceremony Saturday in Marinette, Wis.Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin gave the primary address and Sharla Tester, wife of ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Jon Tester, served as ships sponsor, breaking the ceremonial bottle of champagne across the ship's bow."The christening of the future USS Billings brings this great warship one step closer to joining the fleet, where it will, for decades to come, serve as a tribute to the great people of Billings and the state of Montana, as well as the highly skilled men and women who built our nation's newest littoral combat ship," acting Secretary of the Navy Sean Stackley said.The Freedom-class littoral combat ship built by Lo...