Electric boat-newport news partnership rolls out first Virginia attack submarine

Sea Power, Oct 2003 by Burgess, Richard R

The Navy's newest class of nuclear-powered attack submarine has moved closer to fleet service with the rollout and christening of the Virginia (SSN 774) in Groton, Conn. The 377-foot-long submarine-the first built by a partnership of General Dynamics' Electric Boat Corporation and Northrop Grumman's Newport News sector-is the first submarine designed for service in the post-Cold War era.

The Virginia was christened in a traditional manner by her sponsor, Lynda Johnson Robb, wife of former Virginia Gov. Charles S. Robb and daughter of former President Lyndon B. Johnson. Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) was the keynote speaker at the event. Also speaking at the Aug. 16 christening ceremonies were Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.L); Rep. Edward L. Schrock (R-Va.); Rep. Robert R. Simmons (R-Conn.); Acting Secretary of the Navy Hansford T. Johnson; Vice Adm. John. J. Grossenbacher, then commander, Naval Submarine Forces; Michael W. Toner, executive vice president of General Dynamics' Marine Systems Group and president of Electric Boat; and Thomas C. Schievelbein, corporate vice president of Northrop Grumman and president of Northrop Grumman Newport News.

The 7,800-ton Virginia is lighter than the Seawolf(SSN 21) but longer by 24 feet and not as wide at the beam, at six feet less. Capable of diving to depths of more than 800 feet and sustaining speeds of more than 25 knots while submerged, the Virginia is equipped with 12 vertical launch tubes for Tomahawk land-attack missiles and four 21-inch-diameter torpedo tubes for launching Mk48 torpedoes. Total payload includes 40 weapons. The submarine also can deploy unmanned undersea vehicles as well as carry Special Operations forces and deploy them in the Advanced SEAL Delivery System.

General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman are building three more Virginia-class boats: Texas (SSN 775, scheduled for delivery in 2004), Hawaii (SSN 776), and North Carolina (SSN 777). In August the two shipbuilders were awarded an $8.7 billion contract to proceed with construction of six more submarines at a rate of one per year in fiscal years 2003 through 2006, and two in FY 2007.

"Now Virginia should be followed by Texas (SSN 775) in a year, and others following at a rate of about one a year," said Grossenbacher. "That's good, but not good enough. We're on the right course, but not the right speed. In order to have enough submarines to support our country's future security, we need to build two Virginia-class attack submarines per year."

The new submarine is the sixth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name Virginia, the last being a nuclear-power guided-missile cruiser decommissioned in 1996. Two other ships named Virginia-including the famous ironclad that dueled with the USS Monitor in 1862-served in the Confederate Navy.

The Virginia, which is more than 90 percent complete, is scheduled to be commissioned in mid-2004, with 132 officers and enlisted men under the command of Capt. David J. Kern.

By RICHARD R. BURGESS

Managing Editor