General Dynamics‘ Electric Boat subsidiary will host a christening event for the U.S. Navy’s future nuclear-powered attack submarine USS South Dakota on Saturday at a company shipyard in Groton, Connecticut.
South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard will be a principal speaker at the ceremony and Deanie Dempsey, wife of former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Martin Dempsey, will serve as sponsor of the 17th Virginia-class submarine, General Dynamics said Thursday.
The submarine, dubbed SSN 790, is designed to adapt to the service branch’s evolving mission requirements.
Virginia-class submarines are built through a teaming agreement between Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries‘ Newport News Shipbuilding division.