The U.S. Navy will hold a commissioning ceremony on Oct. 7 for the USS Washington fast attack submarine that Huntington Ingalls Industries‘ Newport News Shipbuilding company delivered in May.Acting Navy Undersecretary Thomas Dee will deliver the principal address during the ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, which will also feature ship sponsor Elisabeth Mabus, daughter of former Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, the Defense Department said Thursday.
Construction began in 2011 for the submarine dubbed SSN 787, which is the 14th Virginia-class nuclear submarine and the fourth in its class under Block III.
Newport News turned over the ship to the Navy in May after the submarine passed the Board of Inspection and Survey sea trials.
Virginia-class submarines are designed to operate in littoral and deep waters while engaging in anti-submarine, anti-surface ship, strike, irregular and mine warfare; special operations support; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations for sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security and deterrence.
Block III submarines under the Virginia class feature two large-diameter Virginia Payload Tubes instead of 12 individual launch tubes on the bow.
