The US Navy has commissioned its latest Virginia-class nuclear-powered, fast attack submarine, the USS New Jersey (SSN 796), on 14 September 2024.
As part of the commissioning ceremony tradition, the boat’s sponsor, Dr Susan DiMarco, gave the order to “man our ship and bring her to life.” After the hoisting of the colours and commission pennant, the US Secretary of the Navy, Carlos del Toro, formally placed the submarine into active service.
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SSN 796 development
SSN 796 is the third naval vessel named for the state. The first USS New Jersey was a battleship commissioned in 1906 as part of the Great White Fleet that expanded the Navy during the First World War. The second, also a battleship, commissioned in 1943 and earned commendations for action in the Second World War as well as the Korea and Vietnam conflicts.
New Jersey is the fifth Block IV Virginia-class submarine, and she is notably the first in the class designed and built with modifications for a mixed-gender crew.
Former Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, announced the name of this nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine at a ceremony on 24 May 2015. Her keel was authenticated on 25 March 2019, and subsequently christened at Newport News Shipbuilding on 13 November 2021. The shipbuilder delivered New Jersey to the service on 25 April.
Each Virginia-class submarine is 7,800-tons and 377 feet in length, has a beam of 34 feet, and can operate at more than 25 knots submerged. The platform is designed with a reactor plant that will not require refuelling during the planned life of the ship, reducing lifecycle costs while increasing underway time.
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By GlobalDataMaintaining availability
Recently, the US Navy rotated two Virginia-class submarines in service in the Pacific Ocean to allow for maintenance while ensuring availability at a time of contention in the region.
The Navy’s submarine capacity has suffered in recent years due to a major labour shortage in the naval industrial base; though, it must be said that this is a growing problem for many navies around the world at a time of high military demand.
With the entry of New Jersey into the force structure, there are currently 23 Virginia-class units in active service, whereas the Navy aims to operate 66 boats – an ideal force level put forward in June 2023.
Although the service has procured at a rate of two boats per year, the actual production rate has fallen short, and since 2022 has been limited by shipyard and supplier firm workforce and supply chain challenges to about 1.2 to 1.4 boats per year, resulting in a growing backlog of boats procured but not yet built.
