The first Namesake ship in more than 70 years will be boasting the name of the Hoosier State and the crew from new USS Indiana submarine paid a visit to Jasper Tuesday afternoon.
The Jasper post of the American Legion 147 hosted the group.
On hand at the legion Tuesday was Ray Shearer along with Jesse Simbauer the Captain and Master Chief Petty Officer of the New USS Indiana.
Shearer says yesterday’s visit gave the public an opportunity to learn more about USS Indiana as well as meet the two and other men and women from the crew…..
The USS Indiana is the 6th unit in a group of 8 that is known as Block III of the Virginia-class submarine program.
This group of ships that are being built will feature Large Aperture Bow sonar array and two vertical launching systems containing six missiles each instead of the 12 vertical lauch tubes that submarines built during the cold war era featured.
This design doubled the payload space from 1200 cubic feet to 2300 cubic feet.
The USS Indiana is currently being built at the Huntington Ingalls Industries- Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia.
It will be 7,800-tons and 377 feet in length with a 34 foot beam at its widest point measured at the ship’s existing waterline.
Shearer says the crew is visiting communities and businesses across the Hoosier state as part of an effort to raise awareness about the New Ship and Crew and learn more about Indiana and to engage Hoosiers…..
Nearly a hundred Indiana businesses are involved with the manufacturing of the Submarine program or in support of the construction of the ships.
