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Virginia-class attack submarine USS Colorado to be commissioned

Posted at 11:30 AM, Feb 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-21 11:30:14-05

(Photo: USS Colorado Commissioning Commitee/Youtube)

GROTON, Conn. – The newest Virginia-class attack submarine, USS Colorado, will be commissioned at Naval Submarine Base New London on March 17.

It’s the 15th Virginia-class attack submarine to join the fleet.

The USS Colorado, the most modern and sophisticated attack submarine in the world, can operate in littoral and deep ocean environments. It presents a broad and unique range of operational capabilities.

The Colorado features a redesigned bow, which replaces 12 individual Vertical Launch System tubes with two large-diameter Virginia Payload Tubes each capable of launching six Tomahawk cruise missiles, along with other design changes.

The USS Colorado was built in Groton, Connecticut and is designed with a nuclear reactor plant that does not require refueling during the lief of the ship.

Annie Mabus, daughter of former Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, is the ship’s sponsor.

The submarine will be the fourth U.S. Navy vessel to bear the Colorado name.