Navy welcomes newest warship

TULSA, Okla. — A vessel that bears the name of Oklahoma’s second-largest city has been commissioned as the newest warship in the U.S. Navy’s fleet.

The Tulsa was commissioned on Saturday at a pier in San Francisco.

The vessel is an Independence-class littoral combat ship. It’s the eighth ship of its kind in the Navy’s fleet.

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U.S. Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma says the vessel is one of the most technologically advanced in the world.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Lankford said the massive vessel does not have a traditional rudder or propeller and operates more like a catamaran and a jet ski with a high draft, sitting just 14 feet (4 meters) in the water.

The warship features electronic components made by a Tulsa firm, U.S. Pioneer.

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