The US Navy christened one of its newest Virginia-class attack submarines, the future USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795), during a ceremony at the General Dynamics/Electric Boat shipyard facility in Groton, Connecticut.
According to a video of the Saturday ceremony, released by General Dynamics, it took Sarah Greenert McNichol, the daughter of Darleen Greenert, the submarine’s sponsor and a Navy veteran, three attempts to break the sacrificial bottle of champagne against the vessel (a good luck ritual).
Adm. James Caldwell, director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, attended the ceremony. Caldwell said as quoted by the Pentagon on Friday that the “future USS Hyman G. Rickover will play an important role in defending our nation during this time of strategic competition.
According to the US Defense Department, the future USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795) is the second nuclear-powered fast attack submarine in recognition of Adm. Rickover, who was known as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy” and served for 63 years on active duty.
His views touched matters of design, propulsion, education, personnel and professional standards. His team of engineers designed and constructed the first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Nautilus (SSN 571). This accomplishment led to the world’s preeminent fleet of nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers.
The first Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 709) was commissioned at Submarine Base, New London, in Groton, on July 21, 1984.
