WASHINGTON, D.C., May 4 (RIA Novosti) - The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest nuclear-powered attack submarine at Groton, Conn., Saturday.

Admiral Gary Roughead, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, arrived for a ceremony to officially commission the 7,800-ton, 117-m Virginia class SSN 776 Hawaii just released from General Dynamics' Electric Boat shipyard.

The Pentagon touts Virginia class submarines, three (including Hawaii) already operational and another seven contracted for Electric Boat and Northrop Grumman Newport News, as the first major combatant ships approved since the end of the Cold War.

Powered by non-rechargeable nuclear reactors, they can operate globally, combining warfighting and intelligence/reconnaissance missions onshore, in the littoral areas, and at open seas thanks to long endurance, advanced connectivity options, a weapons load including Mk 48 torpedoes and Tomahawk land attack missiles, and an advanced SEAL delivery system.

Donald C. Winter, the Secretary of the Navy, described these submarines as the weapon that will enable the United States to effectively respond to new threats and challenges, and will give its forces the required flexibility, as Virginia class submarines can be assigned individual missions and are also fully integratable with carrier strike groups.