General Dynamics’ Electric Boat subsidiary hosted the ceremonial ship launching of the USS Iowa nuclear submarine in Groton, Connecticut.
The company was joined on Saturday by the U.S. Navy and Christie Vilsack, sponsor of the vessel’s pre-commissioning unit and wife of Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
The USS Iowa, also known as SSN 797, is a Virginia-class attack submarine designed for anti-submarine, anti-surface ship and strike warfare.
SSN 797 is the first submarine and fourth Navy vessel to be named after the state of Iowa. It will operate under Submarine Squadron 4 upon commissioning, which is expected later this year.
The christening of the USS Iowa submarine was attended by officials including Undersecretary of the Navy Erik Raven; Vice Adm. Frank Morley, principal military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Navy; General Dynamics Electric Boat President Kevin Graney; and Bryan Caccavale, vice president of Huntington Ingalls’ Newport News Shipbuilding division.