Marinette - A new warship called the USS Fort Worth was christened in northeast Wisconsin and launched into the Menominee River with a tremendous splash Saturday.

Minutes before the launch, U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) christened the ship in the time-honored tradition - by smashing a bottle of champagne across its bow.

The Navy says it named the ship after the Texas city because Fort Worth has a long history of supporting the armed forces.

The 389-foot ship was built at the Marinette Marine Corp. shipyard in Marinette, in conjunction with defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp.

The ship will continue to undergo outfitting and testing before being delivered to the Navy in 2012.