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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The United States Navy christened its newest |
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Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship, the future USS |
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Kingsville (LCS 36), in Mobile, Alabama, on April 22, 2023; and |
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WHEREAS, The ship was named in honor of both the city of |
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Kingsville and Naval Air Station Kingsville, highlighting the |
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cooperative efforts of the two communities in behalf of the nation; |
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its sponsor, Katherine Kline, performed the traditional breaking of |
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a bottle of sparkling wine on the deck of the Kingsville at the |
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Austal USA shipyard; she represents the sixth generation of the |
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King Ranch family, descended from steamboat Captain Richard King, |
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who founded the ranch in Kingsville in 1853; nearly nine decades |
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later, the Naval Air Station Kingsville was established, and it has |
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enjoyed a special relationship with the ranch ever since; |
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Ms. Kline's father, Dr. Richard Sugden, was a Navy flight surgeon |
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who held the rank of lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy; and |
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WHEREAS, Armed with guns, missiles, and helicopters, the ship |
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is 418 feet long and can reach speeds of over 40 knots; the 18th |
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Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship, it belongs to a class of |
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fast, optimally manned, mission-tailored surface combatants; they |
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operate in near-shore and open-ocean environments to address |
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21st-century coastal threats, and they integrate with joint, |
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combined, manned, and unmanned teams to support forward presence, |
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maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions all over |
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the world; like the other littoral ships of the trimaran variant, it |
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will be stationed at Naval Base San Diego after its scheduled |
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commissioning in the summer of 2024; and |
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WHEREAS, The naming of this combat ship in honor of the city |
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of Kingsville and Naval Air Station Kingsville is a reflection of |
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the role these communities have played in our nation's security, |
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and it is a source of great pride to area residents as well as to |
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citizens throughout the great State of Texas; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature |
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hereby commemorate the christening of the future USS Kingsville |
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(LCS 36). |