Tag Archives: Rear Adm. Michael Jabaley

Electric Boat Awarded Long-Lead Contract for Virginia-Class Block V Attack Boats

Electric Boat Awarded Long-Lead Contract for Virginia-Class Block V Attack Boats

The Virginia-class attack submarine North Dakota (SSN-784) is rolled out of an indoor shipyard facility at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Conn. US Navy Photo

Sub builder General Dynamics Electric Boat has been awarded a $696.2 million contract modification for long-lead materials for the next for Virginia-class submarines – the first of the Block V attack boats.
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Virginia-Class Program Aiming for 3-Month Post-Shakedown Availabilities to Deliver Subs to Fleet Faster

Virginia-Class Program Aiming for 3-Month Post-Shakedown Availabilities to Deliver Subs to Fleet Faster

The future Virginia-class attack submarine USS Illinois (SSN 786) conducts sea trials on Aug. 1, 2016. General Dynamics Electric Boat photo.

The Virginia-class submarine program office is looking to get its attack boats out to the fleet faster through shortening the post-shakedown availability period to just three months, the program manager told USNI News. Read More

Navy Considering Mid-Block Virginia-Class Upgrades, SSGN Construction in Late 2030s

Navy Considering Mid-Block Virginia-Class Upgrades, SSGN Construction in Late 2030s

The Virginia-class attack submarine USS North Dakota (SSN-784) arrives at the Trident Refit Facility’s Magnetic Silencing Facility (MSF) in August 2017. US Navy photo.

The Navy has developed a Tactical Submarine Evolution Plan that looks at rapidly inserting capability upgrades into the Virginia-class attack submarine mid-contract and considers long-term undersea warfare priorities such as converting the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) production line into a guided-missile submarine (SSGN) line in the late 2030s. Read More

NAVSEA Commander: Trump Administration Demands Lower Shipbuilding Costs

NAVSEA Commander: Trump Administration Demands Lower Shipbuilding Costs

Then-Rear Adm. Thomas Moore, program executive officer of aircraft carriers, poses a question to representatives from Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding during a tour of the aircraft carrier Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) in March 2014. US Navy photo.

Then-Rear Adm. Thomas Moore, program executive officer of aircraft carriers, poses a question to representatives from Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding during a tour of the aircraft carrier Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) in March 2014. US Navy photo.

President-elect Donald Trump supports increasing the size of the Navy fleet but has also made clear that the Navy and industry will have to lower the cost per hull for new construction, the head of Naval Sea Systems Command told USNI News. Read More

Navy Seeking Unmanned Underwater Advances To Field Today, To Inform Next Generation Sub Design In 2020s

Navy Seeking Unmanned Underwater Advances To Field Today, To Inform Next Generation Sub Design In 2020s

Crew members from Task Group 56.1 launch a MK 18 MOD 2 unmanned underwater vehicle from a rigid-hull inflatable boat during Squadex 2016, on Aug. 2, 2016, in the Persian Gulf. Squadex 2016 demonstrates U.S./U.K. mine detection capabilities in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. US Navy photo.

Crew members from Task Group 56.1 launch a MK 18 MOD 2 Kingfish unmanned underwater vehicle from a rigid-hull inflatable boat during Squadex 2016, on Aug. 2, 2016, in the Persian Gulf. Squadex 2016 demonstrates U.S./U.K. mine detection capabilities in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. US Navy photo.

The Navy submarine community is pushing hard to make progress on unmanned underwater vehicle development and operations, which lag behind unmanned aerial vehicles, through prototype testing and the creation of a UUV squadron. Read More

Navy To Request Ohio Replacement Program Milestone B Decision This Summer

Navy To Request Ohio Replacement Program Milestone B Decision This Summer

Workers stand pose for a photo in the four-tube "quad-pack" built for the U.S. Ohio Replacement-class and U.K. Successor-class. General Dynamics Electric Boat Photo via US Navy

Workers stand pose for a photo in the four-tube “quad-pack” built for the U.S. Ohio Replacement-class and U.K. Successor-class. General Dynamics Electric Boat Photo via US Navy

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Navy will present an updated Ohio Replacement Program cost estimate to the Defense Department later this summer and seek approval to move into detailed design and engineering work, the Program Executive Officer for Submarines said today. Read More

Submarines To Become Stealthier Through Acoustic Superiority Upgrades, Operational Concepts

Submarines To Become Stealthier Through Acoustic Superiority Upgrades, Operational Concepts

The Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Maryland (SSBN 738) , which along with the future USS South Dakota has been used to test acoustic superiority measures, prepares to get underway for routine operations from Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., March 15, 2016. US Navy photo.

The Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Maryland (SSBN 738) , which along with the future USS South Dakota (SSN-790) has been used to test acoustic superiority measures, prepares to get underway for routine operations from Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., March 15, 2016. US Navy photo.

The submarine community is focused on maintaining access and boosting acoustic superiority after operating in relatively permissive environments for several years, two Navy officials told USNI News. Read More

PEO Subs: Navy's Future Attack Sub Will Need Stealthy Advanced Propulsion, Controls for Multiple UUVs

PEO Subs: Navy’s Future Attack Sub Will Need Stealthy Advanced Propulsion, Controls for Multiple UUVs

The Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Toledo (SSN 769), assigned to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 54, transits through the Arabian Gulf on Jan. 21, 2016. US Navy photo.

The Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Toledo (SSN-769), assigned to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 54, transits through the Persian Gulf on Jan. 21, 2016. US Navy photo.

This post has been updated to include additional information about potential advanced propulsion system development.

The Navy won’t begin buying its next-generation attack submarine until 2034, but researchers are already hard at work on two key components of the SSN(X) program: an advanced propulsion system for quieter operations, and the ability to control multiple unmanned underwater vehicles at once for extended influence. Read More