Construction underway for 'USS Gabrielle Giffords'

[The Straight Story]

TUCSON, AZ (CBS5) -

Construction of the "USS Gabrielle Giffords" is underway in Alabama.

Gabrielle Giffords etched her initials into the keel of the combat ship being built for the U.S. Navy.

It's the first naval vessel of its kind to be named after a living woman.

Giffords was chosen because of how far she's come since being wounded in an assassination attempt in Tucson in January 2011.

"She reflects those qualities the navy holds dear: courage, resiliency and a fighting spirit," Gulf Coast Ship Building Supervisor Capt. Joseph Tuite said.

http://www.wsfa.com/story/25278981/construction-underway-for-uss-gabrielle-giffords

[mylye2222]

1. A wonderfull tribute to a so courageous woman . Bravo!

[Paladin]

2. Looking forward to LaPierre's spittle-flecked comments about this, on behalf of the NRA. (nt)

[mylye2222]

4. Looking forward the comments of Palin, and the team who designed the leflets with

cibles, calling people to " shot" congresspeople who voted for Obamacare.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. SarahPAC

[arely staircase]

16. don't you know mooselina is jealous. nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Jesse Kelly, Republican, 2010:

[Paladin]

10. No sense of shame, no attempt at public decorum.

What the hell kinds of households were these people raised in?

[tularetom]

3. I don't know why but for some reason that really made my day

It isn't even near compensation for what she's had to endure but it is a reflection of the respect she has earned.

You want to talk heroes, this woman is really one in my opinion.

[madokie]

25. A true HERO

[jmowreader]

5. The Wiki page about the ship

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Gabrielle_Giffords_(LCS-10)

It's going to be the fifth Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship.

[stevenleser]

31. Yes, it will look like this...

[jmowreader]

37. I am a bit surprised about the lack of a UAV launch rail

Maybe make a Sea Predator or Sea Reaper they can land in the ocean and fish out with a Zodiac.

[stevenleser]

39. Supposedly, there are modules you can swap in or out with these that allow different configs...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_class_littoral_combat_ship#Modular_mission_capability

Your guess is as good as mine whether this will work as advertised...

The Independence class carries a default armament for self-defense, and command and control. However, unlike traditional fighting ships with fixed armament such as guns and missiles, tailored mission modules can be configured for one mission package at a time. Modules may consist of manned aircraft, unmanned vehicles, off-board sensors, or mission-manning detachments.

The interior volume and payload is greater than some destroyers and is sufficient to serve as a high-speed transport and maneuver platform. The mission bay is 15,200 square feet (1,410 m2), and takes up most of the deck below the hangar and flight deck. With 11,000 cubic metres (390,000 cu ft) of payload volume, it was designed with enough payload and volume to carry out one mission with a separate mission module in reserve, allowing the ship to do multiple missions without having to be refitted.

One Mobicon Flexible Container Handling System is carried on each ship in order to move mission containers.

In addition to cargo or container-sized mission modules, the bay can carry four lanes of multiple Strykers, armored Humvees, and their associated troops. An elevator allows air transport of packages the size of a 20-foot-long (6.1 m) shipping container that can be moved into the mission bay while at sea. A side access ramp allows for vehicle roll-on/roll-off loading to a dock and allows the ship to transport the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle.

[okaawhatever]

6. K & R nt

[Auntie Bush]

9. That is awesome. Love Gabby Gifford

She really deserves this as she's such an inspirational women.

[CFLDem]

11. I can hear the peaceniks now-

'Like dude- Why would you honor a shooting victim with a machine of war, man. Not cool brah not cool.'

[Spitfire of ATJ]

13. Happy?

[L0oniX]

24. So you hate peace huh n/t

[CFLDem]

26. I apologize for mellowing your high. n/t

[AtheistCrusader]

33. She was never a peacenik by any measure I'm aware.

But I would certainly hope someone ASKED her if she approved of this sort of tribute. I tend to assume someone did, but one never knows.

[Orsino]

35. Add me to that list.

Seems amazingly inappropriate...guess it's cool if Giffords herself is kicking it off.

A hospital ship would have pleased me. A combat ship? Not the sort of weapons-free Giffords' ordeal ought to inspire, IMO.

[G_j]

38. a problem with peace lovers?

bleeding hearts? tree huggers?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

12. Shoulda been a hospital ship.

[grahamhgreen]

14. +1.

[Shankapotomus]

19. +1

Yep. But sadly most people won't understand where you're coming from.

[Owl]

20. +1

[L0oniX]

23. +1

[arely staircase]

15. bad ass nt

[Ex Lurker]

17. I have the utmost respect for Rep. Giffords. Howerver, as a general rule,

I think naming ships after living people, and politicians in general, is something we can do without. I'd make an exception for notable presidents who are deceased for 100 years or more, such as Washington, et al, and those who served in combat like JFK. My opinion only.

[Exposethefrauds]

18. and should have served in the Navy too

I really don't understand why they named a ship after her. She did not do anything really remarkable while in office, nor did she do anything special or outstanding for the Navy either. If surviving a shooting is the new standard for having a ship named after you, there are a whole bunch of shooting victims that should have ships named after them before she had one named after her.

Ms Gifford's is a lucky survivor of gun violence but she had the MONEY and notoriety to obtain the best treatment most do not.

[Nailzberg]

29. I share that opinoin.

Except for a few notable Presidents or naval heroes, I don't like naming warships after people. I especially don't like naming them after politicians.

[stonecutter357]

21. I wish thay would build a college instead of a war machine.

Miss Giffords deserves it anyway.

[L0oniX]

22. I find this to be very odd and ironic.

A small weapon wounds her and she approves of a huge weapon.

[jtuck004]

27. They ought to build a tuition free U.S.S. Gabrielle Giffords Junior College or 20.

A combat ship? Seriously? To honor someone who was gunned down in a parking lot?

Man, we have GOT to grow up. Or maybe not.

[Recursion]

28. I thought Hopper was still alive when the USS G M Hopper was launched? (nt)

[Shemp Howard]

41. Grace Hopper was an amazing woman

and naming a ship after her was the absolutely the right thing to do. But Admiral Hopper had passed away before the USS Hopper was launched.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hopper_(DDG-70)

And for what it's worth, naming a navy ship after Gabrielle Giffords is so wrong on so many levels I don't even know where to start.

[Recursion]

43. Why is it wrong? She's a big reason the LCS wasn't cancelled

She was a huge proponent of the line on the Armed Services Committee.

[Swede Atlanta]

30. I would rather they use the money to do something that will help people not kill them.....

I know, I know.....having a strong military and ability to project military power serves as a warning and a defense with those that would do us harm.

But I would rather we invest that money elsewhere doing something that would help people like food stamps, education, health care premiums, etc.

[stevenleser]

32. They are extremely lightly armed for bare minimum defense. These things cannot go on offense

It seems their main mission is to operate within a few hundred yard from shore and provide some support for troops on the beach. Ferrying them too and fro and minimal fire support. Their main two advantages over other ships seems to be their ability to operate in very shallow water and their high speed, estimated at about 51 Mph or 44 Knots.

[AtheistCrusader]

34. Oh, they can certainly be used for offense.

They are technically blue water capable, even if both the Independence and Freedom class variants have had major sea trial issues. (Freedom broke down on it's way to Columbia, and on it's way to Hawaii, but it's been as far as Singapore.)

They are fast and light, but Independence is sort of a very light helicopter carrier, which means plenty of offensive firepower right there. Ship-killing or anti-sub capability even.

It's direct-fire weapons are pretty light though.

[stevenleser]

40. I hear you, I just dont think relying on the helos for offense makes it much of a threat.

The mujahideen showed what otherwise fairly unsophisticated fighters with basic shoulder launched anti aircraft weapons can do against a few helicopters.

The ship requires an aircraft carrier and various other vessels to provide air cover and support IMHO

[bunnies]

36. A warship? Really?

[Owl]

42. How many more of these unaffordable vessels?