USS North Dakota ( SSN - 784 ) " North Dakota " ( SSN - 784 ) will be a . She will be the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the state of North Dakota . The contract to build her was awarded to Electric Boat division of General Dynamics in Groton , Connecticut on 14 August 2003 . This ship is the first of the Block III subs which will feature a revised bow , including some technology from cruise missile submarine s . Her name was announced on 15 July 2008 . and her keel was laid down on 11 May 2012 . She was floated on 15 September 2013 and is scheduled to be named on 2 November 2013 , sponsored by Katie Fowler , wife of Vice Admiral Jeff Fowler . Construction and Manning . The PCU " North Dakota " is undergoing initial construction and manning at Electric Boat Shipyard . Her initial manning Command Team is : Commanding Officer CDR Doug Gordon , Executive Officer LCDR Jeremiah Minner and Chief of the Boat ETCM ( SS ) Tim Preabt . Ship ' s Crest . The Ship ' s Crest was launched on 24 August 2012 by Lt . Gov . Drew Wrigley in the Great Hall at the North Dakota State Capitol . The final crest is the culmination of a design process that started with entries submitted by the ship ' s crew and North Dakota residents and ended with an impressive and extremely symbolic icon . USS " North Dakota " proudly displays the ship ' s motto , " Strength from the Soil , Reapers of the Deep . " " Strength from the soil " is taken from the State of North Dakota Coat of Arms and the Governor ' s Flag representing the connection between " North Dakota " and the State of North Dakota . " Reapers of the Deep " has a double meaning . It represents both the fighting spirit of the submarine warrior and the ties to the state ' s farm heritage of reapers , who cut grain in the fields . The green ribbon on which the motto resides represents the agricultural community as well as the colors of the University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University . The overall shape of the crest is that of an Indian arrowhead , similar to that used on the North Dakota Coat of Arms . This represents the American Indian heritage of North Dakota . Flanking the Indian arrowhead shape and acting as its serrated cutting edge is wheat . This represents the North Dakota farming community . Prominently displayed on the crest are gold and silver six shooter revolvers . The front sights of the revolvers are formed by the gold and silver dolphins , representing the officer and enlisted submarine warfare community . Additionally , the revolvers represent the two tomahawk payload tubes the ship carries in arsenal . " North Dakota " is the first submarine to carry these payload tubes , each capable of carrying six Tomahawk Cruise Missiles . The red and green eyes of the submarine dolphins mounted on the six shooter revolvers pays tribute to the port and starboard running lights of the professional mariner . Across the revolver hand grips are the words " Rough Riders . " This is a salute to the state ' s connection to President Roosevelt . The " Rough Riders " were volunteers from the plains during the Spanish American War . Members of the North Dakota National Guard as well as President Roosevelt ' s Rough Riders served in combat for one year in the Philippines , supporting its occupation following the Spanish American War . Across the skyline is the silhouette of the first USS " North Dakota " ( BB - 29 ) . BB - 29 is additionally represented as one of the two gold stars flanking the words , " USS NORTH DAKOTA . " SSN - 784 , the second warship to proudly bear the name , represents the second gold star in this banner . At the base of the arrowhead outline are two horse heads , representing the Nakota horses that roamed the prairies of North Dakota . In the night sky is the Constellation Orion . Orion , the hunter , signifies the warrior heart of the people of North Dakota and the war fighting crew of " North Dakota " . Wrapping across the crest is a banner with two Native American tomahawks , representing the state ' s Native American Indian heritage and Tomahawk Cruise Missiles , one of the weapons capabilities " North Dakota " can employ . Finally , prominently pushing through the ship ' s crest is a Virginia Class Submarine representing the sailors who man this great warship .