Watch USS Montana submarine event live on Wednesday

The USS Montana submarine officially launched into the James River in Virginia at the beginning of the month, but Montanans back home in Big Sky Country will have the chance to watch a live update about the Navy’s new nuclear submarine on Wednesday, March 31.

A special program taking place in the Montana Capitol’s Old Supreme Court Chamber will be live-streamed starting at 5 p.m. MDT on Wednesday, March 31.

The special event will provide an update on the progress to the ship, now estimated to be about 92% complete, and its crew.

Commanding Officer Capt. Michael Delaney will give a virtual presentation from his location with the submarine in Virginia. He will be introduced by Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte.

Featured at the event will be the ship’s signature bell, which will be presented to the submarine and crew by the USS Montana Committee when the boat is commissioned into the fleet early next year.

The bell is a submarine-sized replica of the bell from the first and only other USS Montana, an armored cruiser commissioned in 1908.

Made from the metals in the state motto, gold and silver — or Oro y plata in Spanish — the bell provides a special connection to its namesake state. Melted into the bell are gold and silver dolphin pins worn by qualified submariners, gold by officers and silver by enlisted sailors.

State leaders will ring the bell during the presentation Wednesday, launching a series of educational visits with the bell that will take place around the state over the course of the year.

To livestream the event, visit the State Legislature’s “Watch and Listen” web page at https://www.leg.mt.gov/audio-video/ .