SALT LAKE CITY — The U.S. Navy will name a new Virginia-class submarine USS Utah, marking the first time in years that a combat vessel will bear the state’s name.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus will formally announce the name on Monday afternoon in Salt Lake City.
Secretary spokesman Capt. Patrick McNally says the Navy took the submarine’s registry number, 801, into consideration when deciding its name. That number is the telephone area code for Salt Lake City.
McNally says the USS Utah is expected to be delivered to the Navy in 2022. It will be constructed in Groton, Connecticut.
Virginia-class submarines are nuclear powered and meant to provide defense against enemy submarines, gather intelligence and conduct covert missions.
