The City of Beloit prepares to celebrate the christening of a new U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ship named after the City.

At a special media event Monday Fairbanks Morse Defense Vice President of Business Development Pat Bussie said the Beloit company has been building diesel engines for U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships for over 100 years.

The christening event Saturday at Marinette Marine will be the first time the USS Beloit goes into the water.

The ship’s commissioning is expected to take place in about two years in Green Bay.