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                                        No. 572-93
                                        (703) 697-5342 (Info)
                                        (703) 697-3189 (Copies)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE    December 2, 1993   (703) 697-5737            
                                        (Public/Industry)        
                                        
NAVY ANNOUNCES CHRISTENING OF NUCLEAR-POWERED ATTACK SUBMARINE
                      HARTFORD (SSN 768)

     The christening ceremony for the U.S. Navy's newest Los
Angeles class attack submarine, USS Hartford (SSN 768), will be
held at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation
in Groton, Connecticut, on Saturday, December 4, 1993 commencing at
11:30 a.m.  Mrs. Laura O'Keefe, wife of former Secretary of the
Navy Sean O'Keefe, will break a bottle of champagne over the bow
and formally name the ship.

    Representative Barbara B. Kennelly will be the ceremony's
principal speaker.

     Hartford honors the capital city of Connecticut.  One previous
U.S. Navy ship, a steam sloop which was Rear Admiral David
Farragut's flagship during the Civil War battles of New Orleans,
Vicksburg and Mobile Bay, has been named Hartford.

     Attack submarines, with their inherent stealth, endurance and
flexibility, contribute greatly to the U.S. Navy's overall force
structure.  Submarines are a vital part of the Navy's new doctrine
"...From the Sea," bringing to bear proven shallow water
operational capabilities, including mine warfare, covert coastal
surveillance and intelligence gathering, operations with special
forces, and combat search and rescue.  Further, the submarine's
ability to strike targets at, below and beyond the water's surface
make it a potent asset in the Navy's arsenal.

     The ship is equipped with the Tomahawk cruise missile system,
giving it a significant land attack and strike capability.
Hartford is one of an improved version of the Los Angeles class,
having a hardened sail and retractable bow planes for surfacing
through the ice during Arctic missions.

     Hartford is 360 feet in length, has a beam of 33 feet and
displaces approximately 6,900 tons submerged.  The ship will carry
a crew of 127 enlisted personnel and 14 officers.
                               -USN-