Newport News Shipbuilding Launches Nuclear Submarine

The Atlanta (SSN 712), shown above, the 31st nuclear-powered submarine to be built by Newport News Shipbuilding, was launched during recent ceremonies at the shipyard.

U.S. Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia was the principal speaker. His wife, Colleen, was the ship's sponsor. Other participants were Secretary of the Navy Edward Hidalgo, Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, and Mrs.

Grace Rayburn Dunaway, who was matron of honor. Mrs. Dunaway's husband, C.B. Dunaway, survived the 1942 sinking of the cruiser USS Atlanta at Guadalcanal. The Dunaways are residents of Morrow, Ga., near Atlanta.

The ship is the seventh Los Angeles-class attack submarine to be launched by Newport News Shipbuilding. Her keel was laid in August 1978, and the vessel is to be delivered in late 1981.

The Atlanta has an overall length of 362 feet, a beam of 33 feet, and a submerged displacement of 6,900 tons. Its armament included Mark-48 torpedoes and submarine rockets.

Newport News has 10 Navy ships under contract or construction: one nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, one nuclear-powered guidedmissile cruiser, and eight nuclear-powered submarines. The shipyard is also jumboizing four commercial ships.

A division of Tenneco Inc., Newport News Shipbuilding has built more than 700 ships f o r the Navy and commercial customers since 1886. The shipyard also provides marine design services and repairs and overhauls f o r Naval and commercial ships.

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