The U.S. Navy's newest Virginia class attack submarine, the future USS Oregon (SSN-793),
has been christened in Connecticut on 5th Oct.
The submarine was ordered on 28 April 2014 and its keel was laid down on 8 July 2017.
The christening was done in a ceremony held at the Quonset Point Facility of General Dynamics
Electric Boat in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
Mrs. Dana L. Richardson, wife of the Chief of Naval Operations, ADM John Richardson was
the sponsor,
Vice Adm. James Kilby said Oregon, outfitted with the most modern weapons and sensors,
will disappear beneath the waves and never be detected until a time and place of its
choosing.
Kilby added, "truly represents naval combat power,"
In this video Defense Updates reports on latest Block IV Virginia class submarine USS Oregon
Let’s get started.
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The Virginia class sometimes referred to as SSN-774 class, is a class of nuclear-powered
fast attack submarines in service with the United States Navy.
Virginia class is designed to replace older Los Angeles-class submarines, many of which
have already been decommissioned.
Virginia-class submarines will be acquired through 2043, and are expected to remain in
service till 2070.
Virginia-class submarines are designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral
missions.
Their primary purpose is to take out enemy's surface combatants and submarines and the
secondary task is to execute land-attack missions.
Virginia-class submarines were the first US Navy warships designed with the help of computer-aided
design (CAD) and visualization technology CATIA.
Each submarine is projected to make 14–15 deployments during its 33-year service life.
The Virginia class was intended in part as a less expensive alternative to the Seawolf-class
submarines ($1.8 billion vs $2.8 billion), whose production run was stopped after just
three boats had been completed.
To reduce costs, the Virginia-class submarines use many "commercial off-the-shelf" (COTS)
components, especially in their computers and data networks.
In practice, they actually cost less than $1.8 billion (in the fiscal year 2009 dollars)
each, due to improvements in shipbuilding technology.
The Virginia class is built through an industrial arrangement designed to maintain both GD Electric
Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding, the only two U.S. shipyards capable of building nuclear-powered
submarines.
Under the present arrangement, the Newport News facility builds the stern, habitability,
machinery spaces, torpedo room, sail, and bow, while Electric Boat builds the engine
room and control room.
The facilities alternate work on the reactor plant as well as the final assembly,
test, outfit, and delivery.
USS Oregon has been build by shipbuilder General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton.
It has a length of 115 m.
To give viewers a perspective, its length is slightly greater than that of a football
field.
It displaces around 7,900 tons.
USS Oregon like all other Block IV subs is acknowledged to be able to move to depths
of 240m (800 feet) but allegedly capable of going down to 490 m (1,600 feet).
A single S9G reactor that produces around 30 MW powers Oregon
The reactor features improved corrosion resistance and reduced life-cycle costs.
It also has reduced size and weight enabling the submarine to pack more weapons and sensors.
The S9G reactor is designed to operate for 33 years without refueling.
So USS Oregon has a practically unlimited range, limited by only food supplies and maintenance
requirements.
The reactor produces enough power to propel Oregon over 25 knots that is 46 km/hr or 29
mph, though the actual numbers may be significantly higher.
Block IV consists of 10 submarines.
On 28 April 2014, the most costly shipbuilding contract in history was awarded to General
Dynamics Electric Boat as the prime contractor.
The deal for ten Block IV Virginia-class attack submarines was worth $17.6 billion
The main improvement over the Block III is the reduction of major maintenance periods
from four to three, increasing each ship's total lifetime deployments by one.
So, the Block IV variant will be capable of a total of about 15 deployments.
The Virginia class is the first to use photonic sensors instead of a traditional periscope.
The class is equipped with high-resolution cameras, along with light-intensification
and infrared sensors as well as an infrared laser rangefinder.
Block IV variant of Virginia-class is has redesigned elements and feature several types
of sonar arrays.
1.
It incorporates a Large-Aperture Bow (LAB) water-backed array, which replaces the traditional
air-backed spherical array.
This is main sonar is one of the most powerful sonars mounted in any of the submarines in
the world.
2.
Two high-frequency active sonars mounted in the sail and bow.
These supplements the main sonar array improving anti-submarine warfare performance.
3.
A fiber optic sonar array, consisting of 3 flat panels is present on either side of the
hull.
4.
For coverage above and behind the submarine, a High-frequency sonar is mounted on both
sides of the submarine’s sail.
USS Oregon is also equipped with a low frequency towed sonar array and a high frequency towed
sonar array.
USS Oregon will be deadly as it is packed with different kinds of weapons to knock out
varied targets.
1.
Two large-diameter Virginia Payload Tubes, each capable of launching 6 Tomahawk cruise
missile.
Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, cruise missile that is used for land-based attacks.
It has a long range of 1200 to 2500 km, enabling them to be launched from far off.
2.
Four 533 mm torpedo tubes for the Mk-48 torpedo.
There is a capacity to carry up to 26 Mk-48 torpedoes in the weapon's chamber.
These torpedoes have a range in excess of 50 km or 31 miles and can be used to take
out enemy submarines and surface vessels.
3.
Like all Virginia class, South Dakota can also lay different types of mines including
the MK-60 CAPTOR Encapsulated Torpedo mines.
4.
An integral lock-out/lock-in chamber is incorporated into the hull for special operations.
The chamber can host a mini-submarine, such as Northrop Grumman’s Advanced SEALS Delivery
System that can be used to transport special warfare forces such as Navy SEAL teams.
The main rivals of the U.S, Russia & China are going ahead with the construction of several
new subs.
Russia plans to build a total of 8 Yasen M class submarines which are intended to destroy
US aircraft carriers.
The latest Kilo-class submarine of the Russian fleet is also a force to take note of.
Though Kilo class is nothing new and has even around in some form or another since the 1980s,
the newest 6 submarines of this class represent a significant evolution.
Russia is also building the Borei class which will be Russia’s new generation of ballistic
missile submarines — the cornerstone and most survivable part of its nuclear arsenal.
Chinese Navy has been given special attention and is getting a good share of the military
budget.
It is developing a wide range of conventional as well as nuclear powered submarines.
The Virginia-class Block IV submarines are multi-mission vessels as they are equipped
with torpedoes to take out enemy subs and surface ships and missiles for land attack
as well as can perform a variety of tasks like surveillance work and the delivery of
Special Operations forces.
Hence, USS Oregon will be an excellent addition to the US Navy fleet.