Submarine Virginia Completes First Voyage
GROTON, Conn. – Virginia (SSN-774), the nation’s newest and most advanced nuclear-powered attack submarine, returned to the Electric Boat shipyard here today following the successful completion of its first voyage in open seas, called “alpha sea trials.” Virginia is the lead ship of the most capable class of attack submarines ever built; it will be delivered to the U.S. Navy this fall. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).
Virginia’s alpha sea trials included a range of submarine and propulsion plant operations, submerging for the first time, and high-speed runs on the surface and submerged, to demonstrate that the ship’s propulsion plant is fully mission capable.
Virginia-class submarines have been designed from the ground up to operate as a key element of a fully networked naval force. Unobtrusive, non-provocative and connected with land, air, sea and space-based assets, Virginia-class ships are uniquely equipped to wage multi-dimensional warfare in the farthest reaches of the globe, providing the U.S. Navy with continued dominance in coastal waters or the open ocean. These submarines will transit submerged at high speeds, undetected, independent of sea state or logistic support and arrive on station ready for action.
“Nuclear submarines provide a unique contribution to our nation’s security and will be increasingly important in the decades ahead,” said Electric Boat President John Casey. “The Virginia and the rest of the ships of its class are designed specifically to incorporate emergent technologies that will provide new capabilities to meet new threats.”
Virginia-class missions will include conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, ensuring that U.S. commanders understand the scope and capability of an enemy’s forces. Submarines of the class also will be able to engage enemy submarines, surface ships and critical targets ashore, both through precision strike and the covert insertion of special operations forces. With their stealth and unlimited endurance, they will be flexible assets for Joint Force Commanders, able to maneuver with impunity, even in the most contested forward areas.
Virginia is the Navy’s only major fleet-ready combatant ship that was designed with the post-Cold War security environment in mind. Approved nearly four years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Virginia embodies warfighting and operational capabilities required to dominate the littorals while maintaining undersea dominance in the open ocean.
Electric Boat and Northrop Grumman Newport News are under contract to build the first 10 submarines of a planned 30-ship Virginia class under a teaming agreement that splits the construction workload between the two shipyards. A revolutionary approach to design and construction processes was employed for the Virginia class.
Participating in the sea trials were U.S. Navy Admiral Frank L. “Skip” Bowman, director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion; Rear Admiral Jeffrey Cassius, commander, Submarine Group Two; and Rear Admiral John Butler, program executive officer (Submarines). Also participating in the sea trials were Capt. Jeffrey Reed, the Navy’s supervisor of shipbuilding in Groton; Michael Toner, executive vice president of General Dynamics Marine Systems group; John Casey, president of Electric Boat; and Becky Stewart, Northrop Grumman Newport News’ vice president – submarine program. Virginia is commanded by Capt. David Kern of Ledyard, Conn.
General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 69,400 people worldwide and anticipates 2004 revenue of $19 billion. The company is a market leader in mission-critical information systems and technologies; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and business aviation.
Virginia-class characteristics
Displacement: 7,835 tons
Length: 377 feet
Beam: 34 feet
Payload : 40 weapons; special operations forces; unmanned undersea vehicles; Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS)
Weapons Launch: Four 21-inch torpedo tubes; 12 vertical launch system tubes
Weapons: Tomahawk land-attack missiles; Mark 48 advanced capability torpedoes
Crew: 134 officers and enlisted men
Ships of the class To be delivered by General Dynamics Electric Boat:
Virginia (SSN-774)
Hawaii (SSN-776)
To be delivered by Northrop Grumman Newport News:
Texas (SSN-775)
North Carolina (SSN-777)
The six other ships under contract have not yet been named.
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Any "forward-looking statements" contained in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
General Dynamics Corporation (ticker: GD, exchange: NYSE)
News Release -Friday, July 30, 2004
Press Contact: (860) 433-8556
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