VIRGINIA Submarine Program Reaches Another Milestone
NAVSEA Newswire
Release Date: 11/14/2003
By Ann Birney, Program Executive Office Submarines, Public Affairs
Washington Navy Yard, D.C. - The new construction submarine TEXAS (SSN 775) is another step closer to "getting wet." On November 7, 2003, Northrop Grumman Newport News (NGNN) in Newport News, Va., celebrated a key milestone on TEXAS, the second ship of the VIRGINIA Class, with a ceremony marking the pressure hull being welded completely closed. This event, referred to as Pressure Hull Complete, is a significant step towards completion and commissioning of the ship by the Navy. With 81 percent of the construction work completed at this point, TEXAS has attained a high level of completion and progress toward delivery.
NNGN is teamed with General Dynamics Electric Boat to build VIRGINIA-Class submarines. Each shipbuilder constructs sections of the ship while final assembly, final outfitting, test, and delivery are alternated between them. TEXAS is the lead ship for NGNN under the co-production plan and will be assembled and delivered at its facility in Newport News, Va., in 2005.
The VIRGINIA Class, the Navy's next-generation attack submarine, will provide the capabilities required to maintain the nation's undersea supremacy well into the 21st century. As one of the Class, TEXAS will have state-of-the-art stealth characteristics, sophisticated surveillance capabilities, and Special Operations Forces delivery and support to conduct covert long-term surveillance of land areas, littoral waters, or other naval forces. Other capabilities include cruise missile strike and enhanced communications connectivity that will enable TEXAS to provide important battle group and joint forces support and meet the Navy's multimission requirements.
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