Work is underway on the USS Indiana at the Newport News Shipyards. The Virginia
class sub is expected to be completed in about two years. (Photos Submitted)

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WOWO): The Navy formally began construction Saturday on the U-S-S Indiana. Newport News Shipbuilding will hold a keel-laying ceremony with Navy brass at its Virginia shipyard. It‘ll likely be a couple more years before the  sub launches. 

The Navy announced in 2012 it would name one of five new attack submarines after Indiana. It‘s the third Navy ship to bear Indiana‘s name. The last USS Indiana was a battleship which saw action at Tarawa, the Philippine Sea, and the Marianas Islands during World War Two.

The ship was scrapped more than half a century ago. Its anchor is on display at Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, while the prow of the ship is at I-U‘s Memorial Stadium.

The nuclear sub will assist in surveillance of land and sea targets. The USS Indiana is equipped with advanced weaponry, including cruise missiles and can cruise at a speed of 25 knots and remain submerged up to 3 months at a time.

You can see a video of the USS Minnesota, a sister ship to the Virginia Class USS Indiana, by clicking here.