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The US Navy has commissioned its 14th Virginia-class submarine, USS Washington (SSN 787), at a ceremony on board Naval Station Norfolk.
The 114.9-metre-long submarine has a 10.3-metre beam, and will be able to dive to depths greater than 243 metres and operate at speeds of more than 25 knots submerged.
It will operate for more than 30 years without ever refuelling.
Washington is the fourth of eight Block III Virginia-class submarines. They are built with two 2.2-metre-diameter Virginia payload tubes able to house six Tomahawk land attack missiles each.
Construction on Washington began in September 2011. The submarine's keel was authenticated in November 2014, and the submarine was christened on March 5, 2016.
