WASHINGTON, Sept.29 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Navy on Saturday commissioned its newest Virginia class attack submarine U.S.S. Indiana in the U.S. state of Florida.
The submarine, hull numbered SSN 789, is the 16th of its class, and the 6th of the block III model to enter service.
The submarine has a length of 115 meters and a beam of 10.3 meters, its nuclear-powered propellers can allow it to sail at 25 knots (46 km/h).
With a displacement of about 7,800 tonnes, the sub is manned by about 130 soldiers.
The submarine is the second in the fleet to use an Xbox video game controller to operate its periscope, to suit the habits of young sailors who grew up playing video games.
The submarine was christened last April at Newport News, Virginia. After its commissioning, the submarine will sail back to Norfolk, Virginia and then to its home port in Groton, Connecticut.
Historically there have been two commissioned U.S. warships named after the state of Indiana, the first was a battleship that fought in the Spanish-American war, and the second was a battleship that fought in the Pacific theater of the World War II.
