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The following was released by the Office of the Assistant to the 
Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs):

No. 357-00 	                      (703)695-0192(media) 
    (703)697-5737(public/industry)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 22, 2000

NAVY COMMISIONS PATROL COASTAL SHIP
TORNADO (PC 14)

        The patrol coastal ship, Tornado (PC 14), will be 
commissioned Saturday, June 24, 2000, during 10 a.m. EDT 
ceremony at Nauticus International Pier, Norfolk, Va.
        Navy Rear Adm. Thomas W. Steffens, director of the 
Intelligence and Information Operations Center, U.S. Special 
Operations Command, will deliver the ceremony's principal 
address.  Linda Anne Rich Bowman, wife of Navy Adm. Frank L. 
"Skip" Bowman, director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion, will serve as 
ship's sponsor.  In the time-honored Navy tradition, Bowman will 
give the order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"
        Ships of this class are named after weather phenomena.  
One previous ship, the Civil War-era monitor Winnebago, was 
briefly renamed Tornado from June to August of 1869.
        The primary mission of ships in this class is to conduct 
coast patrol, surveillance and maritime interdiction operations 
in support of Naval special warfare and other special operations 
forces.  Tornado is equipped with two 25mm MK 38 machine guns; 
two .50 caliber machine guns; two MK 19 automatic grenade 
launchers; and six Stinger missiles.   The ship can accommodate 
eight fully-equipped Navy Sea, Air, and Land team members or 
other special forces personnel.
        Navy Lt. R. Trevor King, of Chesapeake, Va., will be the 
ship's commanding officer with a crew of four officers and 24 
enlisted personnel.  Tornado will operate out of the Naval 
Amphibious Base, Little Creek, Va.  Built by Bollinger 
Shipyards, Lockport, La., Tornado is 170 feet in length, has a 
beam of 25 feet, and displaces 331 tons when fully loaded.  Four 
diesels power the ship to speeds of 35 knots.
-USN-