First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and US President Joe Biden participated in the official commissioning of the Virginia-class attack submarine USS Delaware at the Port of Wilmington in Delaware. Jill Biden is the new warship's official sponsor.
The first lady serves as sponsor of the ship and participated in its christening in October 2018. Officials had planned to commission the Delaware much sooner, but due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the official commissioning ceremony was delayed in favor of an administrative commissioning in April 2020. The ship has been in operation since then.
defense.gov
“Today marks the beginning of an incredible journey, the ship's long and faithful service to our country. … We may not know what's to come, but we do know this: The challenges will be met with the honor, distinction and valor of the 125 sailors who serve on her decks. You will lead with unparalleled character and courage», said First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.
The USS Delaware is the seventh Navy ship and first submarine named after the state of Delaware. The Virginia-class submarine is multi-mission platform that will carry out the seven core competencies of the submarine force: anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; delivery of special operations forces; strike warfare; irregular warfare; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and mine warfare. The submarine carries torpedoes, and it's configured to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can strike targets a thousand miles away with pinpoint accuracy.
