EASTPORT, Maine — The United States Navy commissioned the USS Augusta in Eastport on Saturday, as a heavy fog surrounded the city, the easternmost in the United States.
The USS Augusta is the second Naval ship or submarine to be named after Maine’s capital, a fact not lost on Leigh Staufley. She is the sponsor of the USS Augusta and was in charge of ceremonially bringing the ship to life.
“It really means everything. It’s a recognition of Maine and its people and its strength," Staufley said after the commissioning ceremony on Saturday.
The USS Augusta is a Littoral Combat Ship meant for surface warfare near the shore. It’s a tool the Pentagon has bet big on, planning to add 35 of them in the next few years, according to a 2022 from the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
But in that same report, the office joined in a chorus of criticism of the effectiveness of the sleek and stealthy LCS ships, writing, “The Navy hasn’t demonstrated that this type of ship can perform its intended missions. For example, operational testing found challenges in the ship’s defenses. Also, some key equipment has failed.”
Despite this, Naval Inspector General Vice Admiral John Fuller sees a critical role for the USS Augusta to play in the U.S. military, in an age of growing tensions with China in the South Pacific.
“It's part of our U.S. presence. Where this ship can operate with other navies, it can operate with carrier strike groups. It can support special forces,” Fuller said.
For those who have served during the ship’s latest voyage from Mobile, Alabama to Eastport, the technology on deck is highly effective.
“It’s different from any other ship I’ve sailed,” ITC Rebecca Allen, who will retire after serving on the USS Augusta, added. “So being an IT, I’ve worked on all the networks, and everything is integrated on the ship.”
As for those on board, Allen said it’s a special group.
“This is probably one of the best crews I’ve ever served with. Because we’re all very tight-knit. We all know each other. We all know each other’s families," Allen added.
The USS Augusta will head from Eastport to its home base in San Diego, California.