Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus has announced the names of the next 3 joint high speed vessels, & 2 littoral combat ships.
The next three joint high speed vessels (JHSV) will be named USNS Yuma, USNS Bismarck and USNS Burlington, and two littoral combat ships (LCS) will be named USS Billings and USS Tulsa.
"It is my privilege as Secretary of the Navy to name these ships after five great American cities," said Mabus. "Several cities will be represented for the first time in the Navy fleet, establishing a new connection and tradition that forms a bond between a city's residents and the Sailors and Marines who serve in its namesake ship. For decades to come, these ships will sail in the fleet, building partnerships and projecting power around the world."
Joint high speed vessels are named after small American cities and counties. The future USNS Yuma (JHSV 8) honors the city in Arizona and will be the fourth ship to bear this name. USNS Bismarck (JHSV 9) is the first naval vessel to be named in honor of North Dakota's capital city. USNS Burlington (JHSV10) is the first to be named for the city in Vermont.
JHSV are high-speed transport vessels that serve in a variety of roles for the military branches in support of overseas contingency operations, conducting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and supporting special operations forces.
Littoral combat ships are named to recognize cities that are one of the five most-populated communities in a state. USS Billings (LCS 15) is named in honor of Montana's largest city and will be the first ship to bear the name. USS Tulsa (LCS 16) will be the second ship named for Oklahoma's second-largest city.
These ships are designed to defeat growing littoral threats and provide access and dominance in the coastal waters. A fast, agile surface combatant, the LCS provides the required war fighting capabilities and operational flexibility to execute focused missions close to the shore such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare.