WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 (UPI) — Navy Secretary Ray Mabus announced that future Virginia-class attack submarine SSN 798 will be named USS Massachusetts.
According to Mabus, the vessel’s namesake will honor the history of the U.S. Navy in the state of Massachusetts, dating to the founding of the branch in 1775. Following the Navy’s founding, one of the first 14 shipyards was established in Boston. The Boston Naval Hospital, one of the first three hospitals to specifically care for naval personnel, opened in 1836.
“A ship’s naming is the first milestone in bringing it to life,” Mabus said in a statement. “And here continues the long tradition of strong connection between the people of Massachusetts and our Navy.”
USS Massachusetts will be the fifth vessel to carry its name in the U.S. Navy. The Virginia-class of attack submarines are designed for offensive combat missions, fitted for stealth and surveillance operations. Weapons include Tomahawk cruise missiles, making the submarines ideal for anti-submarine warfare as well as anti-surface warfare. They can also be used for mine delivery and minefield mapping.
The submarine will be built by General Dynamics Electric Boat in coordination with Hunginton Ingalls Industries’s Newport News Shipbuilding division.
Comment count on this article reflects comments made on Breitbart.com and Facebook. Visit Breitbart's Facebook Page.