USS Wichita to be commissioned by Navy in early January

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - The third Navy ship to bear the city of Wichita’s name will be sent into active duty early next year.

The littoral combat ship USS Wichita will be commissioned Jan. 12 at a Naval Station in Mayport, Florida. Littoral combat ships are the Navy’s fastest ships and are used for minesweeping, anti-submarine, drug trafficking or humanitarian operations.

The Wichita Eagle reports the ship is 387 feet long, 57 feet wide and has a top speed of more than 45 knots - or nearly 52 mph.

The USS Wichita also is equipped with a launching pad for two, MH-60 Seahawk helicopters.

The first USS Wichita was a heavy cruiser that earned 13 battle stars during World War II. The second was a replenishment oiler that earned four battle stars in Vietnam.

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Information from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, http://www.kansas.com