NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING TO CELEBRATE CHRISTENING OF VIRGINIA-CLASS SUBMARINE WASHINGTON (SSN 787)

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., March 01, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --



What:

Elisabeth Mabus, daughter of Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, will christen the Virginia-class submarine Washington (SSN 787) on Saturday by smashing a bottle of sparkling wine across the submarine’s bow. Media are invited to attend the ceremony as well as a media preview event on Friday. The preview event will provide the opportunity to interview Newport News Shipbuilding leadership, shipbuilders who have helped construct the submarine, and members of the Washington crew. The sponsor will not be present at the preview event.






The christening ceremony is open only to invited guests, including shipbuilders, Washington sailors and their families. Ceremony participants include Secretary Mabus, who will serve as the keynote speaker; Newport News Shipbuilding President Matt Mulherin; and Navy and government representatives. HII will provide a live, multi-camera satellite broadcast of the christening ceremony in its entirety. Satellite coordinates are below.






When:

Media Preview Event




Friday, March 4




11 a.m.




Media check-in: 10:30 a.m.







Christening Ceremony




Saturday, March 5




11 a.m.




Media check-in: 10:15 a.m.






Where:

For Friday’s and Saturday’s events, media will park in designated spots in the second-shift area of Newport News Shipbuilding’s North Yard parking lot (see directions below). Media will be transported by bus to and from the site. The event will be held outside the Module Outfitting Facility (MOF).






RSVP:

Confirmation of attendance is required. Please RSVP by noon on Thursday, March 3. You must present a photo ID and be a U.S. citizen to be admitted to the event. Please RSVP to:




Christie Miller, Huntington Ingalls Industries, (757) 380-3581




Christine.Miller@hii-co.com




Please note that this is an industrial setting. Long pants, shirts with sleeves covering shoulders, and flat, sturdy, closed-toe shoes are required attire.

HII will use #SSN787 as the social media hashtag for this event. An online press kit for the event is available at A webcast of the event will be provided at http://www.washingtonchristening.com/.

A live, multi-camera satellite broadcast of the event will also be provided. Satellite information is as follows:

• Satellite: AMC-15 (105 degrees west)


• Transponder: Ku Digital 23 Slot D9 (9 Mhz)


• Downlink Frequency: 12173.000 Mhz


• Downlink Polarity: Vertical


• FEC: 3/4


• Symbol Rate: 7.0 Mbps


• 8PSK DVBS2 TRANSMISSION, 4:2:0, 1080i

Window time: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eastern Saturday

Directions to Media Parking:

• From I-64 (either westbound or eastbound)


• Take Exit #264 to Interstate I-664 toward Downtown Newport News/Suffolk


• Take Exit #5 (35th Street) to Warwick Blvd.


• Travel approximately 3 miles on Warwick Blvd.


• Immediately after 69th Street, make a U-turn on to Huntington Ave.


• Merge into the right lane and continue to bear right on to Shipyard Drive


• Continue downhill and follow signs to media parking