The US Navy has formally named its 28th Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine in a ceremony at General Dynamics Electric Boat's facilities in Groton, Connecticut.
The future USS Utah is also the final block IV Virginia-class submarine to be built. Improvements over earlier Virginia-class boats include design enhancements to help limit costs while expanding operational availability.
Like her sisters, the submarine will be capable of supporting multiple mission areas and can operate at speeds of more than 25 knots for months at a time.
She is designed to carry out core missions including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, delivery of special operations forces, strike warfare, irregular warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and mine warfare.
The future Utah measures 377 feet (114 metres) long and 34 feet (10.3 metres) wide. She will be able to dive to depths greater than 800 feet (240 metres).
The Virginia-class submarines were conceived as a less expensive alternative to the Seawolf-class boats, which were designed during the Cold War era, and are replacing older Los Angeles-class submarines.