You can be part of a historic moment for the state of South Dakota when the U.S. Navy christens the fast attack submarine "South Dakota” this Saturday, October 14th at 9:00 AM CST.

The event will be streamed live through the Electric Boat website (http://www.gdeb.com). No password is needed.

Mrs. Deanie Dempsey, wife of the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey (RET.) will have the honor of smashing the bow of the boat with a bottle of South Dakota-made sparkling wine from the Belle Joli winery in Sturgis, officially making it the third Navy vessel to bear the name of South Dakota.

Following the christening, the Virginia class submarine will begin sea trials, where crew members will perform rigorous tests to ensure it’s ready to officially join the Navy’s fleet

South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard and Lt. Governor Matt Michels will join South Dakota Navy veterans and members of the commissioning committee at the ceremony in Groton, CT

The USS SOUTH DAKOTA (SSN 790) will carrying a crew of 14 officers and 117 enlisted servicemen, USS SOUTH DAKOTA (SSN 790) will be armed with two Virginia Payload Tubes (VPT), each capable of holding six vertical launch Tomahawk missiles that can hit on-shore targets up to 1,240 miles away.

The ship is powered by a nuclear reactor, offering an unlimited source of fuel lasting the life span of the ship, which is projected to be over 30 years. The USS SOUTH DAKOTA will be commissioned in October 2018.

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