Electric Boat Christens Final Trident Submarine 

GROTON, Conn. (AP) - The christening of the USS Louisiana was not only the beginning of the
ship's career, but, more importantly, the end of the Trident submarine era at Electric Boat. 

On Saturday, about 2,700 people attended the christening of the 18th and final Trident submarine
under construction at the subsidiary of General Dynamics Corp. 

At one point, 29 of the ships were planned, but as world tensions eased, the number was cut to 24,
then to 18. 

``It might be tempting to think they were only needed in a long era ago, that things have changed,
but that's not the case,'' said former Navy Secretary Sean O'Keefe, a speaker at the ceremony.
``We will continue to need the USS Louisiana and those who sail her.'' 

The Louisiana is 560-feet long, displaces 18,750 tons and can carry 24 nuclear-tipped missiles,
each with the accuracy to hit a baseball infield 6,000 miles away. 

Only a small amount of work needs to be done before the Louisiana goes to sea for the first time
and then joins the fleet next summer. 

The Navy puts the average cost of one Trident submarine at $1.9 billion. 

Louisiana state Rep. Hunt Downer presented the crew of Louisiana with state and U.S. flags
representing those flown over the state capitol in the submarine's honor. He also presented them
with a proclamation designating Saturday ``USS Louisiana Day,'' in its namesake state. 

O'Keefe said the state of Louisiana was due the honor because its native sons have helped forge the
modern Navy in so many ways. 

One such person was William Hunt, who became the Secretary of the Navy in 1892 when the fleet
consisted of 140 commissioned ships, no more than 52 of them ready to fight. Countries such as
Argentina and Chile had more powerful forces at sea. 

``The Cajun shrimp boat fleet was larger, and better prepared,'' he said. But under Hunt's
leadership, the Navy started on the road to world superpower status. 

O'Keefe also said it was fitting that the 18th Trident submarine was named after the 18th state to
join the Union. 

Earlier in the day, shortly before 4 a.m., four women were charged with trespassing and destruction
of government property for going near the submarine pier and hitting a torpedo-sized steel cylinder
that was there with a hammer, said Lt. John Wallach, a public affairs officer. He did not release the
women's names. 

A group called Weep for Children Plowshares took responsibility for the protest against the
christening of the submarine and called for disarmament action.