Colorado has its Broncos, its Rocky Mountains and its Olympic stars. Saturday morning it officially added a $2.7 billion nuclear attack submarine.

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner and other native sons took part in the commissioning of the USS Colorado, the fifth Virginia-class Block III submarine to be built and the fourth Navy vessel in 162 years to bear the name Colorado.

He was joined by Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and U.S. Sen, Michael Bennet of Denver, as well as U.S. Army Chaplain (Col.) Andrew Meverden, who is retired from the Colorado Army National Guard, and John “J.J.” Mackin, chairman of the USS Colorado Commissioning Committee.

“Today is certainly a proud day for Coloradans,” Hickenlooper told the crowd, with a USS Colorado scarf around his shoulder.

He called out the names of a half dozen sailors from Brighton, Denver and Littleton among the crew of 130 men.

“I want to thank the entire crew that’s going to take this ship to the next level,” Hickenlooper said. “This attack sub that carries the Colorado name represents the very best of our great state,” the governor said.

Bennet recounted the history of ships that have boldly carried the name of several states.

“In years to come the Colorado will silently project our policies around the world, whether monitoring undersea cables or tracking the ever-more capable assets of our adversaries, or protecting American interests in the South China Sea and the Arctic,” he said. “She will lead you on missions that shape this century.”

Gardner was the keynote speaker. He said all the ships that have carried the Colorado name “endured and upheld this nation’s liberty and freedom.”

“I am confident that the USS Colorado being commissioned today will not be deterred in the face of danger. Not just because of its exceptional capabilities of the boat, but because of its crew and their dedication to our nation,” Gardner said.

“The Colorado, this boat, will carry the greatest fighting force this nation has ever seen, this world has ever seen. No mission too hard, no waters too deep, the USS Colorado will secure our nation, reassure our allies and strike fear in the hearts of our adversaries.”

He added a shout out to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

“If I need to say that again for Vladimir, I will,” Gardner said.

The ceremony was held at the Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn.

On a brisk morning, speakers acknowledged “a great turnout” of people from Colorado in the audience expected to be more than 2,000 military leaders, politicians and civic leaders.

“Today is a special day for Rocky Mountain state, a state whose tourism slogan is ‘Come to life,'”  said Jennifer Boykin of Newport News Shipbuilding, one of the Colorado’s builders. “This is quite fitting since in just a few moments the crew and ship’s sponsors will bring the Colorado SSN 788 to life.”

Construction of Colorado began in 2012.

“USS Colorado is a true marvel of technology and innovation, and it shows the capability that our industrial partners bring to the fight,” Navy Secretary Richard Spencer said in a statement. “Today’s world requires undersea platforms designed for dominance across a broad spectrum of regional and littoral missions, and I am confident Colorado will proudly serve in defense of our nation’s interests for decades to come.”

There has been no shortage of effort and pride around the new vessel back in the Centennial State.

Last week,  Hickenlooper unveiled a plaque to hang in the South Foyer of the state Capitol to honor the military namesake.

“We have every expectation that the new USS Colorado will faithfully continue representing this state’s pioneering spirit and be able to go places no one else can go – ‘by land and sea untamed,’ which I believe is the motto of the ship,” Hickenlooper said at the ceremony in Denver.

The 377-foot-long,  7,800-ton sub can launch up to six Tomahawk missiles from each of the its payload tubes, and it’s built to fight submarines and surface ships, conduct surveillance and deliver Special Operations troops.

The attack submarine is the fourth vessel named Colorado, but just the third named for the state. The first ship, launched in 1856, as named for the Colorado River; Colorado didn’t become a state until 1876.

The second was a World War I escort for men and supplies to England. The third sailed in the Pacific during WWII, receiving seven battle stars, including two Kamikaze attacks.