 In 1794, our nation faced many of the same maritime challenges that we see today. Great power competitors and non-state actors threatened our citizens, our prosperity and our very way of life. So Congress authorized the construction of a new Navy. Six heavy frigates strong enough to defeat all but the largest warships and fast enough to outrun the rest. Their investment paid off. These American-designed and American-built warships won iconic early victories against the Barbary Pirates and the French and British Navies. They were so effective against the Royal Navy, the mightiest in the world at that time, that by the end of the first year of the War of 1812, British captains were ordered never to engage them in battle except that a two-to-one or greater advantage. Their unique design from live oak and southern yellow pine gave these ships the iron sides that made USS Constitution famous. Moreover, they were built in the finest American shipyards like the one right here in Baltimore which launched the original USS Constellation. The French called her the Yankee Racehorse for her speed and the damage she immediately inflicted upon their fleet. Her successor, the ship I stand aboard today, was the last all-sale warship built for our Navy incorporating timber from the original Constellation. She served our country faithfully from the Civil War well into the 20th century. A third ship named Constellation was laid down in 1920 but never completed in the peace following World War I. Finally, the fourth and last ship to carry the name Constellation was CV-64, a world-class supercarrier which stood the watch throughout the twilight struggle of the Cold War and struck the opening blows of the global war on terror. She was a mighty and revered ship of whom many in uniform today recall with pride. President George Washington personally selected the name Constellation. It refers to the constellation of stars that have adorned our flag from the original circle of 13 to the 15 gracing the star-spangled banner across the harbor above Fort McHenry to the 50 that fly from the mast of every Navy ship today. The number of stars on our nation's flag may have changed with every generation of Constellation but her spirit and pride have endured and have never diminished from the luster and glory of her namesake in the heavens above. Culture, heritage and pride in service above self are critical elements of our Navy capability. Our course for the future can be found within the foam of our wake. Our future success depends on leveraging history's lessons and the stories of those who sailed into harm's way to inspire the service of those who wear the uniform of the Navy today and those who will wear it tomorrow. The first USS Constellation and her sister ships established the U.S. Navy as an agile, lethal and ready force for the 19th century which is exactly what our next generation of frigates will do for the 21st. So today it is my honor and privilege to announce that the new guided missile frigate FFG-62 will carry on the name honor and legacy of USS Constellation. As the first in her class these ships will now be known as the Constellation class frigates, linking them directly to the original six frigates of our Navy and carrying on the traditions of our great service which have been passed down from generation to generation of our sailors. These ships will provide unmatched lethality, survivability and capability in today's era of great power competition just as their forebears did. Constellation class frigates will be agile, multi-mission warships designed to provide combat credible forward presence on the open ocean as well as power projection ashore again just as the original six did 220 years ago. These frigates are the next generation of capable surface combatants with the ability to operate independently or as a part of a strike crew protecting other assets from air, surface and subsurface threats. These ships were specifically highlighted yesterday in Secretary of Defense Esper's announcement of our future naval force study advocating the production of substantial numbers of small multi-mission combatants like Constellation to distribute capability across the surface fleet. The sailors who serve aboard the advanced ships of the Constellation class will operate the most cutting edge and adaptable capabilities on earth. They will carry on our mission around the globe to secure the sea lanes, stand by our allies and protect our nation against all adversaries who threaten our way of life long into the future. So with grateful recognition to all who served on this ship where I stand and every other Constellation in our Navy's history, Godspeed to those who sail into harm's way ensuring that America remains in 2020 as she did in 1800 the beacon of peace and liberty on earth. I wish the future crews of this newest class of American frigate fair winds and following seas.