Keel-laying ceremony for first ship in LPD 17 Class, USS SAN ANTONIO, held at Litton Avondale Industries December 9, 2000
AVONDALE, LA (December 11, 2000) -- The keel-laying ceremony for SAN ANTONIO, the first of an anticipated 12 ships in the LPD 17 Class of Amphibious Assault ships being built by the Avondale Alliance, was held at the West Bank shipyard on December 9, 2000.
 Principal speaker at the ceremony was U. S. Representative David Vitter, 1st District, Louisiana. Joining Congressman Vitter at the ceremony and addressing the gathering was a special guest, the Honorable Howard W. Peak, Mayor of the City of San Antonio, the new ship's namesake.
Commenting on the importance of the LPD 17 ships to our nation's security and world peace, the event's principal speaker, U. S. Congressman David Vitter of Louisiana, said: "We live in a very dangerous world, in a new era of threats, different than just a few years ago, and we need to move our armed forces better and quicker throughout the world," he noted. "These 12 new LPD 17 Class ships will support our Amphibious Ready Groups, the most versatile of Navy groups, in battle, in rescue operations and in humanitarian missions."
Congressman Vitter went on to say that the LPD 17 Program is also saving the Navy hundreds of millions of dollars through a totally new design process that also represents a new era in shipbuilding and in life cycle support. "For this ship to be 80% design complete at keel-laying is a real tribute to Avondale and the LPD 17 Team. The Avondale Alliance has achieved savings of more than $4 billion over the life of the ship and this is exciting."
 Vitter added that there is much work and many more challenges ahead in terms of our greater national mission. "We have seen the number of ships in our Navy fleet reduced from 300 in 1990 to around 200 today, and as a country, we must re-capitalize and rebuild our Navy presence and focus on this challenge, which is also a greater global challenge. We need to focus on our Louisiana challenge, and take Litton Avondale and other companies, which are leading the world into this new era of shipbuilding, to a new level, so that they are fully capable of continuing to get the job done."
Avondale President Tom Kitchen welcomed everyone to the event, and spoke of the accomplishments the Avondale Alliance has made to date on this revolutionary LPD 17 Program. "As we lay the keel for SAN ANTONIO, it is an historic day; a day to celebrate and acknowledge the hard work, dedication and commitment to the Navy and Marine Corps vision to design and build a better ship for the future. A day to look ahead to the time when we place her in the water and, ultimately, to when she is turned over to those who will call her home. I am very proud of all that has taken place to bring us to this point. We have done well and will continue to do so," Kitchen said.
Also speaking at the keel laying were: Lieutenant General Emil R. Bedard, United States Marine Corps, Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies and Operations, Headquarters, Marine Corps; Major General William A. Whitlow, U. S. Marines Corps, Expeditionary Warfare Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; Rear Admiral Dennis G. Morral, U. S. Navy, Program Executive Officer, Expeditionary Warfare, Naval Sea Systems Command; and Captain William H. Luebke, U. S. Navy, LPD 17 Program Manager, Naval Sea Systems Command.
Mayor of The City of San Antonio Howard W. Peak, said, "The City of San Antonio is very rich in military tradition, but the City is very honored to have a Navy ship and class named for it for the first time," said Peak. "I am very proud to represent all San Antonians here today and I am very proud and grateful as a private citizen to the Navy and Marines for all that hey do in protecting this great country. On behalf of all San Antonio citizens, I congratulate all involved in this very sophisticated ship and class." Mayor Peak then presented a City of San Antonio Proclamation commemorating the occasion of the SAN ANTONIO keel-laying to Lieutenant General Bedard and Rear Admiral Morral.
 Rear Admiral Morral noted that "the most difficult thing we do in the Navy is build warships, but the Avondale Alliance was up to this challenge. We must, however, maintain a sense of urgency," he continued, "because these 12 ships will replace 41 ships, and to our country's Sailors and Marines, months, and even days, make a difference. So as we celebrate this keel-laying today, all of us in the Navy and in industry must re-dedicate ourselves to this great prospect, with enthusiasm, and if need be, with fanaticism, to bring these great ships to our Sailors and Marines who greatly need them."
Lt. General Bedard reflected on the namesake of the new LPD 17 ship, and praised the gallantry and bravery of the 183 brave warriors who defended the Alamo against 4,000 Mexican troops in 1836. "The thousands of Marines who are forward deployed around the world on amphibious ships just like the SAN ANTONIO take with them the spirit of the Alamo day in and day out as they carry out their delicate missions. These youngsters do whatever we ask them to do for us, and we must continue to give them the capabilities to do just that. It is more and more critical for our country every day, and today is only the start, with 11 more (LPD 17 Class) ships to follow."
 Following the speeches, 33-year Avondale veteran welder John "Duke" Stewart ceremoniously welded a SAN ANTONIO (LPD 17) plaque to the steel plate of the keel. Afterwards, the crowd applauded as red, white and blue balloons were released skyward forming a fitting and colorful backdrop as the Navy Band New Orleans broke into music.
Also participating in the ceremony were: Lieutenant Commander Paul Nguyen, Chaplain Corps, U. S. Naval Reserve, who delivered the Invocation; the Naval Support Activity New Orleans, which provided the side boys; and the Marine Forces Reserve Color Guard.
Keel laying is the long-recognized naval tradition of laying down the backbone and critical strength member of a ship. The keel laying for SAN ANTONIO (LPD 17) represents a different approach to the design and construction of U. S. naval surface ships - an approach that is a step away from the past and a step into the next millennium.
 Through an unprecedented partnership with the U. S. Navy, the Avondale Alliance has been working side by side, collocated in the UNO-Avondale Maritime Technology Center, to design a ship that will not only be a magnificent war-fighting platform, but will also save the Navy operating costs over the ship's entire life cycle. The Avondale Alliance consists of Litton Avondale, the prime contractor, and Bath Iron Works, the Raytheon Corporation, and the Intergraph Corporation.
Litton Ship Systems (LSS), headquartered in Pascagoula, Mississippi, includes Litton Avondale Industries, located in New Orleans, Louisiana, as well as Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding and the Litton Ship Systems Full Service Center, both in Pascagoula. LSS, which currently employs more than 17,000 shipbuilding professionals, primarily in Mississippi and Louisiana, is one of the nation's leading full service systems companies for the design, engineering, construction, and life cycle support of major surface ships for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and international navies, and for commercial vessels of all types. LSS has a firm business backlog exceeding $5.6 billion, in a variety of naval and commercial shipbuilding programs.
 Litton is the largest builder of non-nuclear ships for the U.S. Navy and designs, builds, and overhauls surface ships for government and commercial customers worldwide. The company is a prime contractor to the U.S. government for information technology and provides specialized IT services to commercial customers and government customers in local/foreign jurisdictions. Litton is a leading provider of defense and commercial electronics technology, components, and materials for customers worldwide. Headquartered in Woodland Hills, California, Litton has more than 40,000 employees and $5.6 billion in annual revenue. For more information, visit Litton’s Web site at www.litton.com. |
