First Lady To Sponsor Submarine

By Chuck Sudo in News on May 29, 2012 2:10PM

First Lady Michelle Obama accepted an invitation on Monday from Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus to sponsor the USS Illinois (SSN-786), a submarine currently being built in Groton, Conn.

The submarine will be the fourth naval vessel to carry the name of the Land of Lincoln. An Illinois-class battleship was also christened the USS Illinois; two other ships were scrapped before they could be completed. When completed and commissioned, the Illinois, a Virginia-class submarine, will be able to house 134 sailors, have an unlimited range thanks to an S9G nuclear reactor with a life span of 33 years before refueling.

The sponsorship is more than an honorific. Mrs. Obama will be involved in the life of the submarine and help to establish a link between the boat's sailors and their families. Mrs. Obama also joins a litany of First Ladies who have sponsored naval vessels. Most recently, former First Lady Laura Bush sponsored the USS Texas, while Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sponsored the USS Columbia.

The USS Illinois is expected to be commissioned in 2015.