Christening Time

The Navy will christen the fourth Joint High Speed Vessel on Jan. 11 in a ceremony in Mobile, AL, the service announced Thursday.

The USNS Fall River (JHSV-4), the fourth Spearhead-class JHSV, was constructed by Austal USA under a 10-ship, $1.6 billion contract. JHSV-1 and JHSV-2 were delivered in December 2012 and June 2013, respectively. JHSV-3 completed builder's trials in December 2013 and is expected to be delivered in early 2014. Construction is underway on JHSV-5.

JHSV can be used in a variety of roles: for support to overseas contingency operations, special operations forces, emerging joint sea-basing concepts and conducting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. They are capable of transporting 600 short tons 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots.

JHSV-4 will have a core crew of 21 civilian mariners who will operate and navigate the ship, according to a Navy press release.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus will speak at the ceremony. Fall River is a city in Massachusetts.

“The christening of USNS Fall River marks the culmination of the hard work, skill and dedication of the hundreds of shipyard workers who have labored tirelessly to produce this modern marvel,” Mabus said in the statement. “This highly advanced platform not only represents a key part of our Navy's future, but also celebrates the long and proud partnership enjoyed by the U.S. Navy and the state of Massachusetts; a partnership dating back to the founding of the service.”