USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) as the ship transits the Strait of Gibraltar on Dec. 4, 2018. US Navy Photo
USNI News polled its writers, naval analysts and service members on what they consider the most important military and maritime stories in 2018. This story is part of a series; please also see U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Marine Corps Operations.
If 2018 made anything clear, it’s that the U.S. Navy noticed the increased Russian submarine activity in the Atlantic and won’t let it go unaddressed.
A Tomahawk land attack missile launched from USS John Warner (SSN-785) as part of the April 13, 2018 strike against Syrian chemical weapon strikes. US Navy Image
THE PENTAGON — Saturday’s pre-dawn joint air strike against three Syrian chemical weapons facilities was notable not just for its success, but for also being the first time a Virginia-class submarine fired missiles in combat and the first time Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) were used tactically, USNI News has learned. Read More
The following is video of the commissioning ceremony of USS Illinois (SSN-786) at Naval Submarine Base New London, Conn. on Oct. 29, 2016. Read More
Virginia-class submarine Illinois. GD Electric Boat Photo
The 13th Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine has delivered earlier than expected to the U.S. Navy, according to a Monday statement from Naval Sea Systems Command. Read More
150801-EO381-162 NORFOLK, Va. (Aug. 1, 2015) Sailors man the rails of USS John Warner (SSN-785) at Naval Station Norfolk on Aug. 1, 2015. US Navy Photo
Naval Sea Systems Command has isolated a series of questionable welds to the Navy’s three newest Virginia-class attack boats and has cleared the rest of the fleet for normal operation, a NAVSEA spokeswoman told USNI News on Tuesday. Read More
USS North Dakota (SSN-784) during August 2013 sea trials. US Navy Photo
Naval Sea Systems Command has restricted three of the newest Virginia-class submarines (SSN-774) due to questionable welding in piping instrumental in connecting the boats’ nuclear reactors to its propulsion system. Read More
