Newport News, Va. – The Newport News Shipbuilding division of Huntington Ingalls Industries delivered the submarine John Warner to the U.S. Navy on Thursday. This Virginia-class submarine is the first to be named for a person. It was delivered two and a half months ahead of schedule.
John Warner is the twelfth Virginia-class submarine and the sixth to be delivered from Newport News. Construction began back in 2010 with nearly 4,000 shipbuilders working on the project.
The submarine is named in honor of John Warner, former Secretary of the Navy and Virginia Senator for 30 years. Jeanne Warner, Senator Warner’s wife, christened the submarine on September 6, 2014. Commissioning is scheduled for August 1.
“Today, we are excited to join the operational fleet and to bring Senator Warner’s legacy back to the Navy, carrying on his tradition of service to our nation,” said Commander Dan Caldwell, the submarine’s commanding officer. “The crew and the ship have performed exceptionally well during the acceptance trials, and we are prepared and excited to conduct the operational missions which await us.”
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-Ryan DeLucie
