MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — The U.S. Navy's new littoral class combat ship the USS Tulsa has been christened.

Former Tulsa mayor and ship sponsor Kathy Taylor joined current Mayor G.T. Bynum and other Tulsans in christening the ship on Saturday at Austal USA's facilities in Mobile, Alabama. It was Taylor who broke a bottle of champagne on the hull of the warship.

The Tulsa is expected to be launched next month, and commissioned in 2018.

To ship will be used to transport assault teams overseas, provide a flight deck and hangar for helicopters and a ramp to launch boats, small submarines and other vehic...