The Secretary of the United States Navy, Ray Mabus, has hosted a ship-naming ceremony for the upcoming Virginia-class attack submarine, which will now bear the name USS 'Vermont'.
Currently known as SSN 792, the vessel will be the first ship named after the state of Vermont since 1920, when the second USS 'Vermont' was decommissioned.
Each 7,000-tonne Virginia-class submarine measures 114.9 metres in length with a beam of 10.4 metres and a test depth of 240 metres.
Capable of carrying a complement of 135, the vessel's armament includes 12 Tomohawk cruise missile tubes, four 533-millimetre Mk-48 torpedo tubes, and 27 torpedoes and missiles.
A nuclear reactor plant that will not require refuelling during the planned life of the sub provides power, reducing lifecycle costs while increasing underway time.
The submarine will be built in partnership with General Dynamics/Electric Boat in Connecticut.