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DETROIT (WJBK) - The city of Detroit welcomed a new $440 million naval vessel on Friday. The vessel will later be commissioned during a ceremony after a week of festivities and tours.
The USS Detroit traveled from Wisconsin down Lake Huron and arrived in its namesake city just before 2 p.m. You can watch a replay of the livestream of the vessel's arrival here.
Around 8 a.m. Friday, the USS Detroit passed under the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. You can also watch a replay of that here.
Next week, public tours are available one day only from 1-5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 19. Those interested are asked to arrive early and expect long lines, and to wear good walking shoes.
The commissioning ceremony will be on October 22. Tickets are no longer available for the ceremony.
The Freedom-class ship is part of a new breed of naval vessel, which is designed to work in shallow waters and operate with speed and agility. It's created to be quickly modified to take on different missions.
The idea for the Navy vessel first came about after the 9/11 attacks, when the U.S. Navy held a design competition for an innovative kind of focused-mission ship.
Ben Capuco, chief naval architect with Gibbs & Cox Inc., the firm that designed the ship, said previous Navy ships have carried the Detroit name but that none have moved like the new vessel.
"This is a very unique vessel in terms of its combination of speed, flexibility and maneuverability," he said.
However critics believe the vessel might not be what the Navy needs at the moment due to the changing environment; there's concern for its "survivability" in combat.
The makeup and design relies on avoiding fire more than sustaining it. The weaponry includes a 57mm deck gun, missile system and preventatives that will help deflect attack.
"The Navy's execution of the program has been a matter of congressional oversight attention for several years," said Ronald O'Rourke, an independent specialist in Naval affairs, in a combat ship report.
You can get more information at www.ussdetroitlcs7.com.
The Associated Press contributed to this report