December 2, 2016

General Dynamics Electric Boat announced it would christen the U.S. Navy’s newest Virginia-class submarine USS Colorado (SSN-788) at its shipyard on Saturday, December 3.

Annie Mabus, daughter of Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, will be the ship’s sponsor while Secretary Mabus will be the event’s principal speaker.

USS Colorado is the 15th Virginia-class submarine and the fifth of overall eight Block III submarines.

Block III submarines incorporate two tubes with twelve missiles instead of twelve separate missile tubes their sister ships had. This is a feature borrowed from the Ohio-class SSGNs.

Block III submarines from boat eleven onward will also feature a revised bow and a number of other changes.

Electric Boat and its partner, Newport News Shipbuilding, share construction of the submarines under a teaming agreement. A total of 28 Virginia-class submarines have been delivered, are under construction or under contract.