U.S. Navy destroyer named after former U.S. Senator Carl Levin in Detroit

DETROIT - The U.S. Navy on Monday announced they would name a new Arleigh-Burke Class Destroyer after Michigan's longest-serving senator Carl Levin.

Levin served in the U.S. Senate for 36 years from 1979-2015. During that time, he also served as a member and chair of the Senate Committee on Armed Services for nine years.

U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said Monday the brand-new ship will be named the USS Carl M. Levin. According to a press release from the Navy, the ship will join a fleet of around 300 ships by the year 2020.

Levin was honored during an hour-long ceremony held on the Detroit riverfront inside the Renaissance Center, where multiple members of Congress, family and serving Senators gave him two standing ovations.

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, who succeeded Levin, called the 80-year-old former senator "smart, tenacious (and) principled" but not afraid to "reach across the aisle" for compromise during his time in the Senate.

Peters, Mabus and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, all spoke to Levin's commitment to the U.S. military. Peters specified that Levin "always worked...to make sure the Navy had the tools it needed."

"We're America's away team," Mabus said of the Navy. "We're employed equally in time of peace and times of war."

Mabus has bolstered the Navy's arsenal by 80 ships during his 7-year tenure as Secretary.

He said ship building, in addition to providing necessary defenses, offers a multi-million dollar industry to Michigan.

The Navy responds to "any crisis, anywhere," Mabus said, "and we have to have ships to get there."

Stabenow drew contrasts between Levin the former senator and Levin the naval destroyer.

The ship inspires fear via missiles, while the man inspired fear through subpoenas when he suspected fraud or abuse. While the ship has yet to take any fire, Levin "waged legislative battle on behalf of all of us in Michigan."

And, she said, the man gets to enjoy retirement while the 509-foot-long ship will just be entering service.

Levin spent much of his time at the podium thanking those in attendance and speaking to the importance of a strong military and Navy.

He also said it was special to receive the honor in Detroit.

Of the city's purported comeback, Levin said "It's real."

He and others "told everybody this city's going to come back someday," he said. "That 'someday' is here now."

Another Navy ship tied to the Levin family will be commissioned in Detroit this summer, the speakers said.

The USS Detroit is sponsored by Levin's wife, Barbara.

The 389-foot long, 7.5-million-pound littoral combat ship will sail after the ceremony to its home port in San Diego.

The Navy League describes littoral combat ships as "fast, agile, focused-mission platforms designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation."

The USS Detroit will be the the seventh such ship to join the U.S. Navy fleet.

That ship will have a crew of 50 and will be powered by two diesel engines and two Rolls Royce MT30 gas turbines.

Ian Thibodeau is the business and development reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. He can be reached at ithibode@mlive.com, or follow him on Twitter.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.