U.S. Navy to christen submarine Colorado at Connecticut shipyard

GROTON, Conn. — The Navy is preparing to christen its newest attack submarine in a Connecticut shipyard ceremony.

The submarine becomes the USS Colorado once it is commissioned Saturday at the Electric Boat shipyard in Groton.

Sponsored by Annie Mabus, the daughter of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, the vessel is the 15th in the Virginia class of submarines. The 377-foot-long sub is equipped to carry out warfare against submarines and surface ships as well as conduct surveillance and deliver Special Operations troops.

The subs are built in a partnership between Electric Boat in Connecticut and Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia at a cost of $2.7 billion apiece.

Cmdr. Ken Franklin, a native of Plant City, Florida, is the Colorado's commanding officer. He has been serving on submarines since 1991.