Nichols Martin
The U.S. Navy christened a new Virginia-class attack submarine made by Huntington Ingalls Industries and an Austal USA-built expeditionary fast transport ship in two separate ceremonies Saturday.
HII said its Newport News Shipbuilding division hosted the christening of SSN 796 or the submarine that will be known as New Jersey.
SSN 796 is the 23rd Virginia-class vessel and is the first submarine designed to accommodate female crews for gender integration.
Jennifer Boykin, president of Newport News Shipbuilding, said the submarine’s next phase of construction includes launch, testing and sea trials.
HII commenced New Jersey’s construction in 2016 and expects to deliver the vessel in late next year.
Meanwhile. the future USNS Apalachicola underwent christening on Saturday at Austal USA’s Alabama-based shipbuilding facility, the company said the same day.
EPF ships support a variety of operations including disaster relief, humanitarian assistance, command and control, counter-narcotics and maritime security. USNS Apalachicola, also known as EPF 13, is designed to perform its tasks autonomously with the option to be manned.
Kelly Loeffler, a former U.S. senator, serves as USNS Apalachicola’s sponsor while Susan DiMarco, a New Jersey resident and wife of former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, is the ship’s sponsor.
