US Navy receives USS Oregon nuclear-powered attack submarine block IV variant

News, US March 3, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB), the primary builder of submarines for the United States, delivered the future USS Oregon (SSN 793) attack submarine to the Navy.

The nuclear-powered attack submarine is co-produced at General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries. It is the eleventh Virginia-class and the second Block IV submarine delivered to the U.S. Navy by GDEB.

The Virginia Class Program Manager Captain Todd Weeks said “Oregon is in excellent condition and the captain and crew have expertly taken the ship through her paces.”

Capt. Weeks added, “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.”

Delivery of the newest attack 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.

*^{General Dynamics Electric Boat Submarine Program delivers USS Oregon (SSN-793) Attack Submarine to U.S. Navy (Image Credit: US Navy/GDEB)}*

According to the news release, “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.”

The submarine’s inherent “stealth, endurance, mobility, and firepower” allows it to support five of the six U.S. maritime strategy core capabilities, including sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence.

“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,” the statement added.

The U.S. Navy awarded GDEB the contract to build 10 Block IV Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines for $17.6 billion in April 2014 and the first Block IV submarine was commenced in May 2014.