The U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama will join top officials of General Dynamics Electric Boat and christen Illinois, the U.S. Navy's most advanced nuclear submarine on October 10, 2015.
Image: General Dynamics
The First Lady is the ship's sponsor. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus will be present at the ceremony, an invitation-only event, as the principal speaker, General Dynamics announced on Monday.
The Illinois, the 13th ship of the Virginia class, is the first nuclear-powered attack submarine U.S. Navy combatants designed for the post-Cold War era. Unlike many of their contemporaries, Virginia class submarines are designed for a broader spectrum of combat operations, including open-ocean and littoral combat missions. They are planned to replace the older Los Angeles-class submarine.
So far, Electric Boat, in conjunction with construction partner Newport News Shipbuilding, has delivered 12 Virginia-class submarines, with another nine on the way.
General Dynamics is one of the world's largest defense contractors based in Virginia. The company focuses on post-Cold War era defense consolidation.
Source: upi.com