North Dakota (SSN 784) is rolled out of an indoor shipyard facility at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Conn. US Navy Photo
Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has concluded an investigation into questionable third party components of its latest Virginia-class attack boat — North Dakota (SSN-784) — clearing the way for the submarine to commission in late October, NAVSEA told USNI News on Thursday. Read More
An April 2014 photo of a Russian Ilyushin Il-38 Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) aircraft. The U.S. denied reports a similar aircraft chased off a U.S. Virginia-class submarine from the Barents Sea.
Reports that a U.S. Navy submarine was chased from away from Russian controlled waters by Russian anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft on Aug. 7 are false, U.S. European Command (EUCOM) officials told USNI News on Monday. Read More
USS Mississippi (SSN-782) conducts alpha trials in the Atlantic Ocean in 2012. US Navy Photo
U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command awarded a $17.8 billion contract for ten Block IV Virginia-class attack submarines (SSN-774) to prime contractor General Dynamic Electric Boat in the largest single shipbuilding contract in the service’s history, NAVSEA said on Monday in a late afternoon statement. Read More
North Dakota (SSN 784) is rolled out of an indoor shipyard facility at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Conn. US Navy Photo
The Navy is delaying the commissioning of the first Block III Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine — North Dakota (SSN-784) — pending an investigation into material from a third party vendor that included material in the bow and stern of the boat as well as additional design and certification work on the boat’s redesigned bow, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) officials told USNI News Thursday.
USS San Antonio (LPD 17) prepares to moor in Norfolk, Va. in 2013. US Navy Photo
In the 1960s our nation was fixated with President John F. Kennedy’s vision to have a man on the moon before the end of the decade. The country was wholly supportive of his goal. With bipartisan support from Congress, the government approved the funding for NASA that was needed and the nation’s “best and brightest” engineers and scientists flocked to the space industry. Millions of Americans were glued to their television sets in July 1969 and cheered when Apollo 11 landed on the moon, and the words of Astronaut Neil Armstrong will always be remembered as he made that first step on the lunar surface: “That’s one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind.” Read More
Virginia-class attack submarine Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) North Dakota (SSN-784) at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Conn. on Sept. 11, 2013. US Navy Photo
The following is the Feb. 3, 2014 Congressional Research Service report: Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress. Read More
Virginia Payload Module design concepts. Naval Sea Systems Command Graphic
The Navy has selected a design concept to replace its nuclear guided missile submarines (SSGNs), NAVSEA officials told USNI News in an interview last week.
Late last month NAVSEA and the Navy settled on a design concept for the Virginia Payload Module, a $743 million design change in the Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSN-774) that will eventually replace the current Ohio-class SSGNs as part of the Block V iteration of the attack boat. Read More
North Dakota (SSN 784) sits moored at the graving dock of General Dynamics Electric Boat prior to its christening ceremony in Groton, Conn. on Nov. 2, 2013. US Navy Photo
The Navy has christened the service’s eleventh Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine in a Saturday ceremony in Groton, Conn., according to the service. Read More
Virginia-class submarine USS New Hampshire (SSN-778) in 2008. US Navy Photo
The U.S. Navy plans to fund two Fiscal Year 2014 Virginia-class submarines (SSN-774) in its worst-case budget scenario, a senior submarine leader said at a briefing at the Naval Submarine League Symposium in Falls Church, Va. on Wednesday. Read More
From the Congressional Research Service Sept. 27, 2013 Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement report: The Navy is proposing to defer to FY2015 the remaining $952.7 million of the procurement cost of the second boat requested for FY2014. This would divide the procurement funding for the boat between two fiscal years (FY2014 and FY2015)—a funding profile sometimes called split funding. Read More
