NEW ORLEANS (March 10, 2007) – Operations Specialist 2nd Class Israel Flores and Quartermaster 3rd Class August Sorvillo assigned to the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18), prepare to raise the ship's commissioning pennant during the ship's commissioning ceremony. New Orleans is the second ship in the Navy’s new San Antonio class. As a critical element in future expeditionary strike groups, the ship will support the Marine Corps mobility triad, which consists of the LCAC (landing craft air cushion), the expeditionary fighting vehicle, and the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft (MV-22). The ship also provides improved warfighting capabilities including an advanced command-and-control suite, increased lift-capacity in vehicle and cargo-carrying capability and advanced ship-survivability features. The ship holds the distinction of being the only ship in recent naval history built and commissioned in its namesake city. USS New Orleans got underway yesterday (March 12) and will be homeported in San Diego, Calif. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Jay Cope.