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Northrop Grumman To Mesa Verde Christening On Saturday Jan. 15, Dionel M. Aviles, undersecretary of the U.S. Navy, will give the principal address at the christening of Mesa Verde (LPD 19), an amphibious transport dock ship being built by Northrop Grumman. The ceremony, which will include Native American tradition and symbolism, will be held at the company's Pascagoula shipyard. The name Mesa Verde honors Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado. The Park was established in 1906 to preserve sites built by Native Americans on mesa tops and in canyon alcoves. Navy Cmdr. Shawn Lobree, a native of Miami, is Mesa Verds prospective commanding officer. The ship is scheduled for commissioning in 2006 and will be homeported in Norfolk, Va. Mesa Verde (LPD 19) is the third ship in the San Antonio (LPD 17)-class of amphibious transport dock ships being built for the Navy/U.S. Marine Corps team by Northrop Grumman. Construction is taking place at the company's Pascagoula shipyard with fabrication and additional support from three other company facilities: Gulfport, Miss., and New Orleans and Tallulah, La. Displacing nearly 25,000 tons, these ships will be the second-largest in the Navy's 21st Century Expeditionary Strike Group. Mesa Verde will have a crew of 360 sailors and three Marines and can carry up to 699 troops with a surge capability of up to 800. |
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