GROTON, Conn. (AP) — The U.S. Navy’s newest submarine is joining the fleet.

Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of Naval operations, was on hand Saturday as USS North Dakota was commissioned in front of 2,400 guests, including more than 400 from the state of North Dakota.

The sub’s skipper, Capt. Doug Gordon, asked the ship’s sponsor, Katie Fowler, to join him in giving the order to man the submarine and to bring it to life at Naval Submarine Base New London.

USS North Dakota is a $2.6 billion attack submarine is capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles, delivering special forces and carrying out surveillance over land and sea. It’s the second Navy vessel to be named in honor of North Dakota. The first was a coal-fired, steam-powered battleship built in 1910.

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