Michelle Obama News

The U.S. Navy with assistance from the First Lady Michelle Obama commissioned and brought to life the newest Virginia class submarine, USS Illinois (SSN 786), during a ceremony attended by more than 2,500 at Naval Submarine Base, New London on Oct. 29, 2016. Illinois, named in honor of the 21st state, is the 13th Virginia-class, fast-attack submarine to join the Navy's operational fleet. The first lady, who is the ships sponsor, expressed how proud she was of the crew and their families. "Thank you for giving me the incredible privilege of being associated with you and with your families and with the Illinois for the rest of my life. Obama gave the order to "man our ship and bring her to life" before the crew of about 130 men ran across the brow, onto the vessel.

The U.S. Navy is set to commission its newest fast attack submarine during an October 29 ceremony at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn. The third Virginia-class block III submarine and 13th of the Virginia-class fast attack class, the future USS Illinois (SSN 786) has the capability to attack targets ashore with highly accurate Tomahawk cruise missiles and conduct covert long-term surveillance of land areas, littoral waters or other sea-based forces. Other missions include antisubmarine and antiship warfare, mine delivery and minefield mapping.

General Dynamics Electric Boat has delivered to the U.S. Navy an attack submarine that is sponsored by first lady Michelle Obama and will be named for her home state, reports AP. The submarine will become the USS Illinois (SSN 786) after more than five years of construction. The first lady, who's from Chicago, will be involved in the life of the submarine and the lives of its sailors and their families. The submarine will begin its active service at a commissioning ceremony on Saturday, October 29. It took thousands of shipyard employees in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Virginia, and submarine supply businesses, nationwide to build the $2.7 billion attack submarine. Electric Boat, based in Groton, has been designing and building submarines since 1900.

USS Illinois (SSN 786), the 13th submarine of the U.S. Navy’s Virginia Class, was christened Saturday at builder General Dynamics Electric Boat’s Groton shipyard. The ship’s sponsor, First Lady Michelle Obama, christened the ship by breaking a bottle of Illinois sparkling wine against the submarine’s bow before an audience of approximately 7,500 people. Serving as the ceremony’s principal speaker was Secretary of the U.S. Navy Ray Mabus. “We are honored to have the First Lady as our sponsor,” said Electric Boat President Jeffrey Geiger. USS Illinois will be delivered to the Navy in 2016.

Today, General Dynamics Electric Boat christened the Illinois (SSN 786), the 13th submarine of the U.S. Navy's Virginia Class. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD). The Saturday morning christening ceremony took place at Electric Boat's Groton shipyard with the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus as the ceremony's principal speaker. First Lady Michelle Obama is the ship's sponsor and she christened the ship by breaking a bottle of Illinois sparkling wine against the submarine's bow before an audience of approximately 7,500 people. USS Illinois will be delivered to the Navy in 2016. "We are honored to have the First Lady as our sponsor," said Electric Boat President Jeffrey Geiger.

U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama will join builder General Dynamics Electric Boat, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, in christening Illinois (SSN-786), the U.S. Navy’s newest nuclear attack submarine, at an invitation-only ceremony Saturday, October 10. First Lady Michelle Obama is the ship’s sponsor and participated in the keel laying of the Illinois in 2014. The christening’s principal speaker is Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. The submarine Illinois is the 13th ship of the Virginia class, the first U.S. Navy combatants designed for the post-Cold War era.

Austal joined the Honorable Gabrielle Giffords, her husband, retired Navy captain Mark Kelly, and ship’s sponsor Dr. Jill Biden in celebrating the christening of the future USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) today in Mobile, Alabama. This is the third littoral combat ship (LCS) in Austal’s 10-ship, $3.5 billion block-buy contract. The Independence-variant littoral combat ship is a 127-meter (419-foot) aluminum trimaran, capable of being outfitted with reconfigurable payloads (mission packages) which can be changed to support mine countermeasure, anti-submarine and surface warfare missions. It is named Gabrielle Giffords after the former Congresswoman from Tuscon, Arizona. This is only the sixteenth U.S.

First Lady Michelle Obama's initials were welded onto a metal plate as Sailors from Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Illinois (SSN 786) looked on during a keel-laying ceremony for the new Virginia-class submarine. The First Lady joined Navy leaders, shipyard personnel and crew families in celebrating the ongoing construction of the Navy's 13th Virginia-class submarine during an event at the Quonset Point facility of the shipbuilders General Dynamics Electric Boat. Three-quarters of the ship's construction is complete, said Adm. John Richardson, the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program director. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus also participated in the event and served as the keynote speaker.

The Coast Guard placed the country’s newest National Security Cutter, the Coast Guard Cutter Stratton, into service during a formal ceremony on Coast Guard Island, in Alameda, Saturday. First Lady Michelle Obama joined in the ceremony as the Stratton’s official sponsor, alongside Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Robert J. Papp and the Stratton’s commanding officer, Captain Charles L. Cashin, III. In July 2010, Mrs. Obama christened the ship where it was built in Pascagoula, Miss. Stratton is named for Capt. Dorothy Stratton, who became the first director of the U.S.

The U.S. Coast Guard announced Monday that its third National Security Cutter, Stratton, successfully completed several days of rigorous acceptance trials Friday to ensure the cutter meets its contractual requirements and is ready for delivery to the Coast Guard. Stratton’s acceptance trials were conducted in Pascagoula, Miss., and at sea in the Gulf of Mexico by the Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey. Acceptance trials resulted in two starred cards for Stratton…

HRH The Prince Consort of Denmark visited the North American headquarters of Maersk in Madison, NJ, today. The Prince Consort met with Chairman and CEO of Maersk Inc. J. Russell Bruner, Chief Financial Officer Maersk North America Morten K. Nicolaisen, President of Maersk Line North America Michael J. White, and President of Damco North America, Jeremy T. Haycock to discuss the history and current activities of A.P. Moller Maersk companies in the U.S. The Prince Consort was escorted by the Deputy Consul General and Head of Trade Thomas Rizk. The purpose of the U.S. visit was to increase focus on trade relations between Denmark and the U.S. and recognition of the importance of the internationally operating Danish companies for the continued development of Denmark.

On Friday, July 23, First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama christened the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton, a vessel that was detail designed and production engineered by Northrop Grumman using ShipConstructor CAD/CAM software. Stratton is the first Coast Guard patrol cutter to be named after a woman in more than 20 years. The ship is named in honor of Dorothy Constance Stratton, the first female commissioned officer in Coast Guard history. Stratton served as the director of the SPARS, the Women’s Reserve during World War II.

First Lady Michelle Obama christened the Northrop Grumman-built (NYSE:NOC) U.S. Stratton is the third of eight planned National Security Cutters being built at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in Pascagoula for the U.S. Coast Guard. With its 418-ft length and 4,700 ton full load displacement and state-of-the-art command and control systems, the NSC is the largest and most technologically advanced of the new multi-mission cutters. "Here in Pascagoula, you've been building ships for centuries," said Mrs. Obama. "It's in your blood—a proud tradition passed from generation to generation.

On July 31, 2009 First lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks to Sailors and their families at Naval Station Norfolk during a homecoming celebration for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group and the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Desiree Green/Released)

The U.S. Coast Guard and Northrop Grumman laid the keel for the future Coast Guard Cutter Stratton, the service's third National Security Cutter, at 1 p.m, July 20. At Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding's Gulf Coast shipyard, Pascagoula, Miss., ceremoniously marking the beginning of Stratton's construction. First lady Michelle Obama will serve as Stratton's sponsor. This is the first time a first lady has ever sponsored a Coast Guard cutter. As the sponsor the first lady will be involved in the life of the cutter.