SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued the following statement after the U.S. Navy named a submarine after the state of California: “Naming this submarine after California reflects the tremendous support we provide to the Navy and Marine Corps here in the Golden State. It is a fitting tribute to the 2.1 million veterans and 200,000 active duty service members and their families that call California home, along with the countless local communities who support our military families and the defense industry and their suppliers who manufacture equipment and develop the technology needed to assist the global fight against terrorism.”
The U.S. Navy christened the California today at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News in Newport News, VA.
This is the seventh U.S. Navy ship to bear the name California. The last U.S.S. California, a nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser, was decommissioned on July 9, 1999. The most famous U.S.S. California was a battleship, which served as the first flagship in the Pacific Fleet.
Designated SSN 781, California is built to excel in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; irregular warfare; and mine warfare missions. The 7,800-ton submarine is 377-feet long, has a 34-foot beam, and will be able to dive to depths of greater than 800 feet and operate at speeds in excess of 25 knots submerged.