The US Navy will commission its tenth Virginia-class attack submarine, USS Minnesota (SSN 783), during a ceremony on 7 September at the naval station Norfolk, Virginia, US.
Named to honour the residents of Minnesota for their continued support of the US military, the submarine was christened in 2012 and delivered to the navy in June 2013, 11 months ahead of schedule.
Submarine group two commander, Rear Admiral Ken Perry, said: "[Commanding Officer] Capt. John Fancher and his team have literally from stem to stern worked the combat systems, nuclear propulsion plant, logistics and culinary service."
The USS Minnesota, which began construction in February 2008, was built by General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) in Virginia.
Designed as an advanced stealth multi-mission nuclear-powered boat, submarine can conduct missions that include anti-submarine, anti-surface ship, strike, special operation forces, irregular and mine warfare, as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
The submarines feature AN/WLY-1 acoustic countermeasures system and mast-mounted AN/BLQ-10 electronic support measures (ESM) systems to provide full-spectrum radar processing, automatic threat warning and situation assessment.
Developed for deep ocean anti-submarine warfare and littoral or shallow water operations, the 377ft-long advanced stealth multimission nuclear-powered submarines can cruise at a submerged speed of 25k while carrying a crew of 134.
In addition, the submarine features a fly-by-wire ship control system to enhance ship handling in shallow water, as well as larger lock-in/lock-out chamber and a reconfigurable torpedo room to support special operations forces and their equipment.
Image: USS Minnesota (SSN 783) under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding. Photo: courtesy of Chris Oxley.
