laststandonzombieisland

The future USS Wisconsin (SSBN 827) had her keel laid yesterday on her hull number date (8/27) at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton.

It looked like a beautiful day.

She is the second of 12 planned Columbia-class boomers, the long-awaited replacements for the Cold War leftover Ohio-class, the youngest of which is 28 years young.

She is the third Navy warship to carry the name of the 30th state after the famous, Iowa-class fast battleship USS Wisconsin (BB-64), which decommissioned in 1991 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in 2006, and the Illinois-class USS Wisconsin (Battleship # 9) of Great White Fleet fame.

As SSBNs are the battleships of today, the name makes sense.

Wisconsin likely won’t be delivered until 2032 or so, but with an expected 42-year service life, including 124 deterrent patrols, she will possibly outlive us all.