GROTON, Conn. — The U.S. Navy has christened one of its newest Virginia-class attack submarines, the future USS Hyman G. Rickover, in honor of the "Father of the Nuclear Navy."
Saturday's ceremony marked the first submarine christening at the General Dynamics-Electric Boat Shipyard in Groton since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It's also the second submarine to be named after Rickover, the late four-star Navy admiral who served 63 years in the Navy on active duty.
Undersecretary of the Navy James F. Geurts said construction of the submarine during the pandemic has been a testament to the dedication of America's shipbuilders and sailors.
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.
