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The following was released by the Office of the Assistant to the
Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs):
                                           No. 129-94
                                           (703)697-5342(media)
                                           (703)697-3189(copies)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE      March 10, 1994      (703)697-
                                           5737(public/industry)

      NAVY TO CHRISTEN COASTAL PATROL SHIPS ZEPHYR (PC 8)
                      AND CHINOOK (PC 9)

     A joint christening ceremony will be held for the patrol
ships Zephyr (PC 8) and Chinook (PC 9) on Saturday, March 12,
1994 at Bollinger Machine Shop and Shipyard, in Lockport,
Louisiana, commencing at 11 a.m.  Barbara Andrews, an assistant
to Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, is the sponsor for Zephyr.
Sandra K. Saville, Attorney-at-Law, of Anchorage, Alaska, will
sponsor Chinook.  In the age old naval tradition, a bottle of
champagne will be broken across the bow by the sponsors, and the
ships will be formally assigned their names.

     Senator Stevens will be the ceremony's principal speaker.

     Zephyr (PC 8) and Chinook (PC 9) are the eighth and ninth
ships of 13 Cyclone class vessels scheduled to be commissioned by
the Navy.  Each will carry the name of a weather element.  The
ships' primary mission of conducting coastal patrol and
interdiction surveillance is an important aspect of littoral
operations as outlined in the Navy's strategy, "...From the Sea."
The ships will also provide full mission support for naval
special warfare forces.

     The ships' armament includes a Stinger missile station, 40MM
grenade launchers, .50 caliber machine guns and 25MM chain guns.
Each coastal patrol ship will be manned by a crew of four
officers and 24 enlisted personnel, is 170 feet in length, has a
beam of 25 feet and displaces approximately 313 tons fully
loaded.
                               -USN-