NAVSEA press release
The Submarine Force’s newest attack submarine, the future USS Oregon (SSN 793), was delivered to the U.S. Navy on Feb. 26. PCU Oregon is the twentieth Virginia Class submarine that is co-produced at General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding (HII-NNS) through a long-standing teaming agreement. Oregon is the eleventh Virginia Class delivered by GDEB and the second Block IV configured submarine.
“Oregon is in excellent condition and the captain and crew have expertly taken the ship through her paces,” said CAPT Todd Weeks, the Virginia Class Program Manager who rode the boat during its sea trials. Delivery of a Virginia Class Submarine is the culmination of almost 10 million work hours by the shipbuilders under the exacting standards imposed by Naval Sea Systems Command and Naval Reactors under the direct oversight of the Supervisors of Shipbuilding at both company locations.
“Each organization works tirelessly with the others focused on getting ships to sea as the first step in ultimately arriving at its Squadron and homeport where it becomes a vital asset to the Nation.”
CAPT Todd Weeks, the Virginia Class Program Manager
Virginia Class Submarines are built to operate in the world’s littoral and deep waters while conducting anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface ship warfare; strike warfare; special operations forces support; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; irregular warfare; and mine warfare missions. Their inherent stealth, endurance, mobility, and firepower directly enable them to support five of the six maritime strategy core capabilities – sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence.
The submarine’s sponsor is Mrs. Dana Richardson, wife of former Chief of Naval Operations, ADM John Richardson.
Oregon is the third U.S. Navy ship to honor the state. The first USS Oregon was a brigantine ship purchased in 1841 and used for exploration until 1845. Second Oregon (BB 3) was commissioned on July 15, 1896. While decommissioned in 1906, she was later recommissioned in 1911 and remained in the reserve, until stricken from the Navy list in 1942.
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About Virginia-class Block I II III IV & V SSN
Block IV submarines (SSNs 792 to 801) incorporate design changes focused on reduced total ownership cost (RTOC). By making these smaller-scale design changes to increase the component-level lifecycle of the submarine, the U.S. Navy will increase the periodicity between depot maintenance availabilities and increase the number of deployments.
USS Delaware (SSN 791), the last and final of eight Block III Virginia-class submarines, was commissioned in April 2020. Delaware’s keel was laid April 30, 2016, and was christened during a ceremony Oct. 20, 2018.
The Block III submarines are fitted with the new Virginia Payload Tubes designed to lower costs and increase missile-firing payload possibilities. The first 10 Block I and Block II Virginia-class submarines have 12 individual 21-inch diameter vertical launch tubes able to fire Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMS). The Block III submarines are built with two-larger 87-inch diameter tubes able to house six TLAMS each.
Blocks I-III Virginias are planned to undergo four depot maintenance availabilities and conduct 14 deployments. Block IV RTOC efforts are intended to reduce planned availabilities by one to three, and increase deployments to 15. The U.S. Navy refers to this as 3:15.
The Block IV will be followed by the Block V configuration which involves 10 boats and may incorporate the Virginia Payload Module (VPM), which would give guided-missile capability when the SSGNs are retired from service. On 2 December 2019, the U.S. Navy announced an order for nine new Virginia-class submarines – eight Block Vs and one Block IV – for a total contract price of $22 billion with an option for a tenth boat. The Block V subs were confirmed to have an increased length, from 377 ft to 460 ft, and displacement, from 7,800 tons to 10,200 tons.
Submarines in Block IV configuration :
- Vermont (SSN 792) – Commissioned 18 April 2020
- Oregon (SSN 793) – Keel laid July 8, 2017
- Montana (SSN 794) – Keel laid May 16, 2018
- Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795) – Keel laid May 11, 2018
- New Jersey (SSN 796) – Construction began March 2016
- Iowa (SSN 797) – Construction began September 2016
- Massachusetts (SSN 798) – Construction began March 2017
- Idaho (SSN 799) – Construction began September 2017
- Arkansas (SSN 800) – Construction began March 2018
- Utah (SSN 801) – Construction began March 2018