The newest Virginia-class submarine in the US Navy, the USS Washington (SSN 787), officially entered service on October 7th during a ceremony aboard Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.
Washington, named for the 42nd state, is the 14th Virginia-class rapid attack submarine to join the Navy’s operational fleet. Elisabeth Mabus, daughter of the 75th Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, acted as sponsor of the submarine.
Washington is the fourth of eight Block III Virginia-class submarines to be built. The Block III submarines will be built with new Virginia Payload Tubes to reduce costs and increase missile launch capabilities. The first 10 Virginia-Class Block I and Block II submarines have 12 individual 21-inch diameter vertical launch tubes that can be used to fire Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMS). Block III’s submarines are built with two larger pipes, 87 inches in diameter, each of which can accommodate six TLAMs.
Commanding Officer, USS Washington, Cmdr. Gabriel Cavazos emphasized Washington’s ability to dominate the underwater domain and enable military success in every mission: “As I have told the crew several times, they are the most important part of the ship. They give the ship its personality and fighting spirit. Without the crew it would be Washington doesn’t have the war platform it was built for. Combine the two, however, and together we’re the black fish. “
Washington is the fourth ship in the US Navy and the first submarine to be named in honor of Washington State. The previous three ships were an armored cruiser (ACR 11) that served from 1905 to 1916, the Battleship (BB 47), a Colorado-class battleship launched in 1921 and sunk as a target in 1924 after its construction was stopped in Dem Battleship (BB 56) has been credited with sinking more enemy tonnage than any other U.S. Navy battleship during World War II, which served from 1941 to 1947.
Washington is a flexible, multi-mission platform designed to fulfill the seven core competencies of the submarine force: anti-submarine combat; Anti-surface warfare; Delivery of special forces; Strike war; irregular warfare; Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and mine warfare. Their inherent stealth, stamina, mobility and firepower directly enable them to support five of the six core competencies of the maritime strategy: maritime control, energy projection, forward presence, maritime safety and deterrence.
The submarine is 377 feet long, 34 feet wide, and can dive to depths greater than 800 feet and operate underwater at speeds greater than 25 knots. It has been operated without refueling for over 30 years.
Construction in Washington began in September 2011; The keel of the submarine was authenticated during a ceremony on November 22, 2014. and the submarine was christened during a ceremony on March 5, 2016.