Virginia-class attack submarine Minnesota (SSN-783) under construction in 2012. US Navy Photo
The Navy told Congress it would pursue a 10-ship multiyear procurement contract for its Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in Fiscal Year 2018 as part of its newest long-range shipbuilding plan, which also announced a nine-ship attack submarine block buy and delays in several auxiliary ship programs. Read More
The following is the March 26, 2015 Congressional Research Service Report, Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress. Read More
Virginia-class attack submarine Minnesota (SSN-783) under construction in 2012. US Navy Photo
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Navy is looking into the feasibility of accelerating design and development work on the Virginia Payload Module (VPM) in case the service decides to begin production earlier than the 2019 planned start, Navy acquisition chief Sean Stackley said Wednesday at a House Armed Services Committee (HASC) hearing. Read More
USS Michigan (SSGN-727) in Guam in 2012. The boat will be the first US submarine with female enlisted sailors by 2016. US Navy Photo
The Navy has released the outline for its plan to have enlisted women serve onboard submarines starting in 2016. Read More
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus will name the fifth Block IV Virginia-class nuclear attack boat (SSN-774) after the father of the nuclear submarine — Adm. Hyman Rickover, according to a Friday announcement from the Department of Defense. Read More
USS North Dakota (SSN-784) during August 2013 sea trials. US Navy Photo
The investigation into suspected third party components used in the U.S. Navy’s Virginia-class attack submarine (SSN-774) program is still ongoing, Naval Sea Systems Command officials told USNI News on Wednesday. Read More
A quartermaster raises the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) flag above the Virginia-class attack submarine USS North Dakota (SSN-784) on Oct. 25, 2014. US Navy Photo
The first of a new block of U.S. nuclear Virginia-class (SSN-774) attack submarines commissioned on Saturday, after a five-month delay amidst an investigation into suspected material deficiencies in third party components on the boat. Read More
Virginia-class attack submarine Pre-commissioning unit (PCU) John Warner (SSN 785) on Sept. 1, 2014. US Navy Photo
The U.S. Navy is starting early preparation work to design a new nuclear attack submarine to replace the Virginia-class boats (SSN-774) in the 2030s. The new attack boat would become operational in 2044 after the last Block VII Virginias are built. Read More
Virginia-class attack boat North Dakota during recent sea trials. US Navy Photo
This story has been updated from a previous post to amend comments made by Naval Sea Systems commander, Vice Adm. William Hilarides, based on new information provided to USNI News in an interview subsequent to this posting. The revised information can be found in brackets behind the original text.
The head of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) warned that the U.S. Navy will have to
ramp up its cyber-security efforts to secure the controls systems of its submarines.
“It is the threat to our control systems,” Vice Adm. William Hilarides, commander of NAVSEA, told an audience at the Naval Submarine League Symposium in Falls Church, Va. on Wednesday. Read More
Oyashio-class submarine
CORRECTION: This post has been amended to revise the description of the Oyashio-class submarine. A previous version of this post incorrectly described the Oyashio-class with the characteristics of the newer Soryu-class. USNI News regrets the error.
Confrontations—and alleged confrontations—between the Russian armed forces and those of the United States, Europe and Japan have been on the uptick in recent weeks. The encounters have paced a general decline in relations between Russia and the West over events in the Ukraine. Read More
