Tag Archives: Virginia class

Long-Range Ship Plan: Navy to Pursue Block Buys for DDGs in 2018, SSNs in 2019

Long-Range Ship Plan: Navy to Pursue Block Buys for DDGs in 2018, SSNs in 2019

Virginia-class attack submarine Minnesota (SSN-783) under construction in 2012. US Navy Photo

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

Navy Looking at Accelerating VPM Design to Allow Earlier Production

Navy Looking at Accelerating VPM Design to Allow Earlier Production

Virginia-class attack submarine Minnesota (SSN-783) under construction in 2012. US Navy Photo

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

Navy Names Attack Boat After Rickover

Navy Names Attack Boat After Rickover

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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

U.S. Attack Boat North Dakota Commissions Following Third Party Vendor Investigation

U.S. Attack Boat North Dakota Commissions Following Third Party Vendor Investigation

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

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

Navy Starting Work on New SSN(X) Nuclear Attack Submarine

Navy Starting Work on New SSN(X) Nuclear Attack Submarine

Virginia-class attack submarine Pre-commissioning unit (PCU) John Warner (SSN 785) on Sept. 1, 2014. US Navy Photo

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

NAVSEA: Submarines Control Systems are at Risk for Cyber Attack

NAVSEA: Submarines Control Systems are at Risk for Cyber Attack

Virginia-class attack boat North Dakota during recent sea trials. US Navy Photo

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

Russia Playing Politics With Alleged Submarine Confrontations

Russia Playing Politics With Alleged Submarine Confrontations

Oyashio-class submarine

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