US Navy commissions attack submarine Montana

The US Navy commissioned its newest Virginia-class fast attack submarine during a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, on Saturday, June 25.

USS Montana is the second commissioned warship to honour the state of Montana.

It is also the third Block IV Virginia-class submarine to enter service, having been designed to carry out core missions such as anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, delivery of special operations forces, strike warfare, irregular warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and mine warfare.

The submarine is 377 feet (114 metres) long and 34 feet (10.3 metres) wide. It will be able to dive to depths greater than 800 feet (243 metres) and operate at speeds in excess of 25 knots submerged.

Montana was built by the Newport News Shipbuilding division of Huntington Ingalls Industries.