Army Lays Keel for New Watercraft

The Army just held a keel-laying ceremony for a new class of service watercraft, to be known as Maneuver Support Vessels (Light). According to a service news release, the ceremony took place at the Vigor shipbuilding facility near Portland, Oregon. Vigor will build at least 13, and up to 36, of the boats over the next 10 years. The watercraft will replace the Army’s Vietnam-era Landing Craft Mechanized-8. The Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) will be able to carry a larger payload and move faster and with greater maneuverability. The first prototype is expected to be delivered to the Army in a little more than a year. Read more at Army.mil.