MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Michelle Obama christens USS Illinois, 13th Virginia Class submarine
“We are honored to have the First Lady Michelle Obama as our sponsor,” said Electric Boat President Jeffrey Geiger. USS Illinois (SSN 786), the 13th submarine of the U.S. Navy’s Virginia Class, was christened Saturday at builder General Dynamics Electric Boat’s Groton shipyard.
The ship’s sponsor, First Lady Michelle Obama, christened the ship by breaking a bottle of Illinois sparkling wine against the submarine’s bow before an audience of approximately 7,500 people.
Serving as the ceremony’s principal speaker was Secretary of the U.S. Navy Ray Mabus.
“We are honored to have the First Lady as our sponsor,” said Electric Boat President Jeffrey Geiger. “I’m proud to show her that this submarine is the embodiment of our team, whose innovation, ingenuity and unrelenting work ethic is unmatched.”
USS Illinois will be delivered to the Navy in 2016.
Virginia-class submarines are equipped to wage multi-dimensional warfare around the globe. In addition to anti-submarine, anti-surface ship and counter-mine warfare, Illinois will support surveillance, special operations and covert strike missions.
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Read all commentsJust what the argies want sitting off the Plate!
Oct 14th, 2015 - 01:14 pm 0LOL
When I had my place in Westbrook I'd fish stripers out at Valiant Rock North of Montauk. Sometimes I would chase them up the Thames in Groton. Get too close to Electric boat and I swear you've never seen so many RIBS with 60s mounted on them surrounding your ass.
Oct 14th, 2015 - 07:14 pm 0Is it just me or is she swinging that bottle like a baseball bat?
Oct 14th, 2015 - 08:34 pm 0Doesn't seem safe to me, but whatever floats her boat or dives the sub in this case. :D
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