The Virginia class, or the SSN-774 class, is the latest class of nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarines in service with the United States Navy. Designed by General Dynamics Electric Boat (EB) and Huntington Ingalls Industries, the Virginia class incorporates the latest in stealth, intelligence gathering, and weapons systems.
USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23) is the third and final Seawolf-class nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine in the United States Navy. Commissioned in 2005, she is named for the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter, the only president to have qualified on submarines. The only submarine to be named for a living president, Jimmy Carter is also one of the few vessels, and only the third submarine of the US Navy, to be named for a living person. Extensively modified from the original design of her class, she is sometimes described as a subclass unto herself.
USS Hawaii (SSN-776), a Virginia-class submarine, is the first commissioned warship of the United States Navy to be named for the 50th state. The building contract was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 30 September 1998 and her keel was laid down on 27 August 2004. She was christened on 17 June 2006 by her sponsor, Governor Linda Lingle of Hawaii. Electric Boat delivered Hawaii to the US Navy on 22 December 2006, ahead of schedule. She was commissioned on 5 May 2007. In July 2009, she changed home port from Groton, CT to Pearl Harbor, HI.
USS New Mexico (SSN-779) is a Virginia-class nuclear powered fast-attack submarine of the United States Navy. She is the second U.S. warship named for the 47th state, after the early twentieth century super-dreadnought,USS New Mexico (BB-40).
USS Delaware (SSN-791) is a Virginia-class attack submarine built for the United States Navy. The contract to build her was awarded to Huntington Ingalls Industries in partnership with the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics in Newport News, Virginia on 22 December 2008. This boat is the eighth and final of the Block III submarines that feature a revised bow, including some technology from Ohio-class SSGNs. Construction on Delaware began in September 2013. She was christened on 20 October 2018. She was commissioned administratively after the standard commissioning ceremony was cancelled due to public health concerns over the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Delaware was the first ever US ship commissioned while underwater. The official commissioning ceremony occurred 2 April 2022 at the Port of Wilmington, Delaware.
USS Illinois (SSN-786) is a Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine in the United States Navy. Named for the State of Illinois, she is the third vessel with the name, the previous two being battleships BB-7 and BB-65, which was never completed. She was built by the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics, the third of their Block III variants which feature a revised bow and technology from the converted sub-class of Ohio guided missile submarines (SSGN). The contract for the build was awarded on 22 December 2008 to Huntington Ingalls Industries in partnership with Electric Boat, and construction commenced with the keel laying ceremony on 2 June 2014, at their yard in Groton, Connecticut. First Lady Michelle Obama served as the ship's sponsor, and christened the boat on 10 October 2015. Illinois was launched on 8 August 2015 and completed sea trials on 2 August 2016. She was delivered to the Navy on 27 August 2016 and commissioned in a ceremony at Naval Submarine Base New London on 29 October 2016. Then-First Lady Michelle Obama, as the sponsor, attended the ceremony and is considered to be an honorary member of the crew due to her support of military families and her involvement with the Illinois crew and their families.
USS Colorado (SSN-788) is a nuclear powered United States Navy Virginia-class attack submarine, named for the State of Colorado. She is the fifteenth of her class and fifth of the significantly redesigned Block III, including a revised bow and VLS technology from the Ohio class of guided missile submarines. She was constructed by Huntington Ingalls Industries in partnership with the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics in Newport News, Virginia, with the initial contract awarded on 22 December 2008.
USS Indiana (SSN-789) is a nuclear powered United States Navy Virginia-class attack submarine, named for the State of Indiana. She is the sixteenth of her class and sixth of the significantly redesigned Block III, including a revised bow and VLS technology from the Ohio-class of guided missile submarines. Indiana was constructed by Huntington Ingalls Industries in partnership with the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics in Newport News, Virginia, with the initial contract awarded on 22 December 2008. Her keel was laid on 16 May 2015 and she was launched on 9 June 2017. The boat was christened on 29 April 2017 and sponsored by Diane Donald, wife of Admiral Kirkland H. Donald, USN (ret). She was commissioned on 29 September 2018 at Port Canaveral, Florida.
USS South Dakota (SSN-790), is a nuclear powered Virginia-class submarine in service with the United States Navy. The contract to build her was awarded to Huntington Ingalls Industries in partnership with the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics in Newport News, Virginia on 22 December 2008. This boat is the seventh of the Block III submarines which will feature a revised bow, including some technology from Ohio-class SSGNs. The keel laying ceremony took place on 4 April 2016. The boat's sponsor is Deanie Dempsey, wife of General Martin Dempsey. Her christening ceremony took place on 14 October 2017 in Groton, Connecticut.
Oregon is a nuclear powered attack submarine in the United States Navy. She is the fourth vessel to carry the name Oregon, the 33rd state of US, and the 20th Virginia-class submarine. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced her name on 10 October 2014 at a ceremony hosted at the Battleship Oregon Memorial in Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon.
USS Vermont (SSN-792) is a Virginia-class nuclear powered attack submarine in the United States Navy. She is the 19th boat of the class and the third vessel of the Navy to be named for the U.S. state of Vermont. Then Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, announced her name on 18 September 2014.
Idaho (SSN-799), a Virginia-class submarine, will be the fifth U.S. Navy vessel named for the state of Idaho. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the name on 23 August 2015, at a ceremony in Idaho. The keel laying ceremony took place 24 August 2020 at the Quonset Point Facility of General Dynamics Electric Boat in North Kingston, RI. Idaho is projected to cost around $2.6 billion dollars and to be commissioned in 2023.
Iowa (SSN-797), a Virginia-class submarine, will be the fourth U.S. Navy vessel named for the state of Iowa. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus officially announced the name on September 2, 2015, during a news briefing at Iowa State University.
Montana (SSN-794) is a Virginia-class submarine of the United States Navy. She will honor the U.S. State of Montana. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the name on 3 September 2015 at a ceremony hosted in Billings, Montana with U.S. Senator Jon Tester.
USS Massachusetts (SSN-798), is a Virginia-class nuclear powered attack submarine currently being built for the United States Navy. She is the twenty-fifth boat of the class and the eighth vessel to be named for the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Then Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, announced the name on 8 November 2015 in an opinion piece for The Boston Globe. She is the first vessel to be named after the Commonwealth since the now-preserved battleship USS Massachusetts (BB-59) was decommissioned in 1947.
USS Louis H. Wilson Jr. (DDG-126) will be an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer of the United States Navy. She is the second of the Flight III variants and 76th overall in the class. She is named after U.S. Marine Corps General Louis H. Wilson Jr., recipient of the Medal of Honor. On 17 September 2016 she was named by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus.
Oklahoma (SSN-802) will be a Virginia-class nuclear powered attack submarine in the United States Navy. She is to be the second vessel named for the state of Oklahoma, and the first to carry the name since the loss of the battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37) during the attack on Pearl Harbor, which led to the US involvement in World War II. Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly announced the name on 24 December 2019, in a press release. Oklahoma, first of the Virginia-class Block V boats, was authorized for construction on 2 December 2019. Unlike the following Block V boats, Oklahoma will not be equipped with the Virginia Payload Module (VPM), which will instead be fitted first to USS Arizona (SSN-803).
Arizona (SSN-803), a Block V Virginia-class submarine, will be the fourth United States Navy vessel named for the state of Arizona, and the first vessel to carry the name since the loss of the USS Arizona (BB-39) during the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, at the start of the US' involvement in World War II. Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly announced the name on 24 December 2019, in a press release. Arizona was authorized for construction on 2 December 2019. Arizona will be the second Block V boat, which will be among the first boats to feature the Virginia Payload Module.
Barb (SSN-804) will be a Block 5 Virginia-class submarine with third United States Navy vessel named for the barb fish. She will also be the first Virginia-class submarine to be named after an aquatic animal and the first US Navy submarine to be named after an aquatic animal in more than 30 years. Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braithwaite officially announced the name on 13 October 2020, in a ceremony unveiling plans to construct a new National Museum of the United States Navy in Washington, D.C. This particular variation from the naming convention is in reference to the World War II era submarine USS Barb (SS-220), which achieved one of the most outstanding combat records in US Navy history, specifically under the command of Commander Eugene B. Fluckey who was awarded the Medal of Honor while Barb received the Presidential Unit Citation.
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