| USS Rhode Island (SSBN-740), is a United States Navy Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine which
has been in commission since 1994. She is the third U.S. Navy ship to be
named for Rhode Island, the 13th state. Originally, another Ohio-class submarine, SSBN-730, was to have been named Rhode Island: a contract was awarded in 1977 for SSBN-730's construction and her keel was laid in 1981 with the Rhode Island name planned for the completed submarine. However, shortly after the sudden death of United States Senator Henry M. Jackson of Washington, SSBN-730 was renamed Henry M Jackson while still under construction. The Rhode Island name was transferred to SSBN-740, for which a construction contract had not yet been awarded. The contract to build Rhode Island (SSBN-740) was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamic Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 5 January 1988 and her keel was laid down there on 15 September 1988. She was launched on 17 July 1993, sponsored by Mrs. Kati Machtley, and commissioned on 9 July 1994, with Captain John K. Eldridge commanding the Blue Crew and Commander Michael Maxfield commanding the Gold Crew. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||