The Blog

With a smash of the bottle and a spray of its sparkling wine, sponsor Sally Jewell proclaimed this morning, “I christen thee United States Ship Montana! God Bless this submarine and all who sail in her!” This climax of a moving and meaningful virtual christening ceremony marked the future USS MONTANA’s readiness for launch, and the beginning of a final … Read More

All Montanans and others who would like to attend the September 12 (8 am Montana Time) online christening of the future USS MONTANA are invited by Newport News Shipbuilding to do so! The christening, a traditional shipbuilder ceremony to mark the launching of a ship, will of course include the breaking of a bottle of sparkling wine over the submarine’s … Read More

Christening of the future USS MONTANA will take place on September 12 at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia – and Montanans will be able to watch the streamed event live online. The traditional breaking of a bottle of sparkling wine over the submarine’s bow by ship sponsor Sally Jewell will be a highlight of the christening. The ceremony will have … Read More

The christening, or ceremonial naming of the Montana’s namesake warship in connection with its launching is now scheduled for September 12! This is the ceremony during which our Ship Sponsor, Sally Jewell, is expected to break a bottle of sparkling wine against the hull of PCU MONTANA SSN 794, proclaiming the traditional words, “”In the name of the United States, … Read More

Big Sky Country support for the future USS MONTANA and her crew members comes in many, often surprising, ways — and delights us every time we see it! Consider the MONTANA float now being scheduled to travel the state as parades and other events are being re-scheduled. Thanks to the Montana Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) … Read More

In view of the global novel coronavirus pandemic and reports of effects across all sectors of our society, we recently asked the commanding officer of PCU (pre-commissioning unit) MONTANA about how things are going with its construction and the crew’s training. Here is Commander Michael Delaney’s response: COVID-19 has not deterred the mission to deliver PCU MONTANA to the Navy … Read More

With the future USS MONTANA (currently designated PCU, or Pre-Commissioning Unit MONTANA SSN 794) now more than 80% completed, the crew’s training has ramped up considerably. When MONTANA is commissioned into the U.S. Navy fleet, likely in late 2021, she’ll be the most modern submarine afloat, with her crew among the best-trained anywhere. We recently asked the MONTANA’s Commanding Officer, … Read More

The future USS MONTANA is more than 80-percent complete! Even as the nation copes with the COVID-19 pandemic, Commanding Officer CDR Mike Delaney tells us that MONTANA sailors are still hard at work around the clock with their shipyard counterparts preparing the ship to be floated off into Virginia’s James River for the first time later this year. Since our … Read More

Montanans are getting their first look at the future USS MONTANA with its hull sections welded together. The photo was shown to members of the Western Montana Military Officers Association as part of an update presentation by the USS Montana Committee. Other first-look photos show work now being done on the interior of the boat. The MONTANA’s commanding officer, Commander … Read More

With leading-edge technology application provided by a Montana company, the future USS MONTANA – a Virginia Class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine with its own leading-edge ability to defend our nation – has moved a step closer to having a bit of namesake legacy aboard when it patrols in dangerous parts of the world. That’s because the USS Montana Committee is … Read More