USS Utah commissioning committee visits Washington County; captain outlines ship, community ties

A delegation promoting the USS Utah, a Virginia-class nuclear submarine, visited the Washington County Commission on April 15 to introduce the ship, meet community leaders and encourage local participation in the ship's commissioning committee.

Captain Chris Horning, the vessel's commanding officer, told the commission the Utah will be a Virginia-class attack submarine and described efforts to reestablish ties between the submarine force and Utah communities that had faded since the original battleship Utah was lost at Pearl Harbor in 1941. "Reestablishing the ties between the state, the Navy, the submarine force, community members and leaders" was a central goal, Horning said on the record.

Presenters provided technical details for the class: the boat is about 377 feet long and roughly 34 feet in diameter, displaces about 7,800 tons, and carries vertical-launch tubes and torpedo tubes. Commission presenters said the propulsion plant will provide continuous power for the ship's operational life; they described a service life of multiple decades. The delegation noted the ship's keel was laid in 2021, christening was expected in October 2025, and commissioning was projected for 2027.

Captain Horning emphasized that the commissioning committee's work will build a lasting relationship between the ship and Utah, including fundraising for crew upgrades and scholarships. He thanked county leaders for the "warm welcome" his family received upon arriving in the state. County commissioners and local volunteers said they were excited to support the effort and to make Utah part of the ship's community network.

The presentation included visual slides and photos of other commissioning events and was followed by public acknowledgments and a ceremonial photo opportunity.