Navy Names Five New Submarines

[HKDan]

Mr. Mabus,

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for appropriately naming these submarines.

Defense.gov News Release: Navy Names Five New Submarines

Navy Names Five New Submarines

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced today the next five Virginia-class attack submarines will be named the USS Illinois, the USS Washington, the USS Colorado, the USS Indiana, and the USS South Dakota.

Mabus named the Virginia-class submarines to honor the great contributions and support these states have given the military through the years.

“Each of these five states serves as home to military bases that support our national defense and provides men and women who volunteer to serve their country,” Mabus said. “I look forward to these submarines joining the fleet and representing these great states around the world.”

None of the five states has had a ship named for it for more than 49 years. The most recent to serve was the battleship the USS Indiana, which was decommissioned in October 1963.

The selection of Illinois, designated SSN 786, is the second ship to bear the state name and is home to the Navy’s one and only Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes where every enlisted sailor begins his or her service.

The selection of Washington, designated SSN 787, is the third ship to bear the state name and the state’s Puget Sound area, where the Navy’s third-largest fleet concentration is located.

The selection of Colorado, designated SSN 788, is the third ship to bear the state name. The second ship was a battleship that stood as the lead ship of her class and took part in the Tarawa invasion.

The selection of Indiana, designated SSN 789, is the third ship to bear the state name and is the home to the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, in Crane, Ind., the Navy’s premier engineering, acquisition and sustainment organization which supports our maritime warriors.

The selection of South Dakota, designated SSN 790, is the third ship to bear the state name. The second ship was a battleship that also stood as the lead ship of her class and fought extensively in the Pacific theater during World War II.

“Prior ships carrying the names of these five states stood as defenders of freedom on the water. Now these states will represent the latest and greatest technology ever assembled to submerge below the surface and project power forward,” Mabus said.

These next-generation attack submarines will provide the Navy with the capabilities required to maintain the nation's undersea supremacy well into the 21st century. They will have enhanced stealth, sophisticated surveillance capabilities, and special warfare enhancements that will enable them to meet the Navy's multi-mission requirements.

These submarines will have the capability to attack targets ashore with highly accurate Tomahawk cruise missiles and conduct covert long-term surveillance of land areas, littoral waters or other sea-based forces. Other missions include anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare; mine delivery and minefield mapping. They are also designed for special forces delivery and support.

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. It is designed with a reactor plant that will not require refueling during the planned life of the ship, reducing lifecycle costs while increasing underway time. The submarines will be built in partnership with General Dynamics/Electric Boat Corp. SSN 786, 788 and 790 will be built by Electric Boat in Groton, Conn. SSN 787 and 789 will be built by Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va.

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at 703-697-5342. For more news from secretary of the Navy public affairs, visit Secretary of the Navy .

For more information about the Virginia-class attack submarine, visit The US Navy -- Fact File: Attack Submarines - SSN .

CORRECTION: Apr. 13, 2012, no. 264-12 -- The name of the USS Indiana, SSN 789, home center is corrected to Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, in Crane, Ind.

CORRECTION: Apr. 13, 2012, no. 264-12 -- The companies building each ship have been corrected from Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding to Electric Boat in Groton, Conn., for the USS Illinois, SSN 786; the USS Colorado, SSN 788; and the USS South Dakota, SSN 790, and Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va., for the USS Washington, SSN 787 and the USS Indiana, SSN 789.

[GrayGhost1975]

Minor error by the author: the BB-58 Indiana was decommissioned in 1947, not 1963. Just a little off!

[sourkraut115]

True... she was only in reserve status for about a year before decommissioning, but she wasn't scrapped until 1963, which is probably where the error comes in.

[GrayGhost1975]

I figured 1963 was the year she went to the breakers. Most of the BBs, except of course the Iowas, were disposed around that time.

[surfgun]

Things may be going from bad to worse.
The Scoop Deck
An upcoming addition to the Navy’s fleet may be the USS Harvey Milk if Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., and other San Diego gay rights leaders have their way about it.
The GLBT Historic Task Force of San Diego County and Filner sent letters to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta last week asking for Harvey Milk to be considered as a name for a submarine, carrier or other appropriate vessel, according to a PR Newswire press release.
Milk, a late civil rights icon, was a Navy veteran who served aboard the submarine rescue ship Kittiwake as a diving officer during the Korean War. He went on to be a diving instructor at Naval Station San Diego. Milk, whose parents both also served in the Navy, was honorably discharged at the rank of lieutenant junior grade.
In his letter, Rep. Filner wrote “this action would be a fitting tribute to Mr. Milk’s support for equality, an ideal exemplified in the military’s recent repeal of its former Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy,” according to the press release.
The request comes after a series of controversial namings, such as the littoral combat ship Gabrielle Giffords or destroyer Lyndon B. Johnson, that have caused Congress to ask Mabus for a report due in June detailing the process that Navy uses to name ships.

[USSWisconsin]

Things may be going from bad to worse.
The Scoop Deck
An upcoming addition to the Navy’s fleet may be the USS Harvey Milk if Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., and other San Diego gay rights leaders have their way about it.
The GLBT Historic Task Force of San Diego County and Filner sent letters to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta last week asking for Harvey Milk to be considered as a name for a submarine, carrier or other appropriate vessel, according to a PR Newswire press release.
Milk, a late civil rights icon, was a Navy veteran who served aboard the submarine rescue ship Kittiwake as a diving officer during the Korean War. He went on to be a diving instructor at Naval Station San Diego. Milk, whose parents both also served in the Navy, was honorably discharged at the rank of lieutenant junior grade.
In his letter, Rep. Filner wrote “this action would be a fitting tribute to Mr. Milk’s support for equality, an ideal exemplified in the military’s recent repeal of its former Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy,” according to the press release.
The request comes after a series of controversial namings, such as the littoral combat ship Gabrielle Giffords or destroyer Lyndon B. Johnson, that have caused Congress to ask Mabus for a report due in June detailing the process that Navy uses to name ships.

The enemy will quiver with fear when they hear that the USS Milk is staulking them. I like the names the Royal Navy uses.

[Genosaurer]

At least Milk actually served. I don't think I'd be terribly put out if they did name an appropriate ship, like a sub tender or some other kind of auxiliary, after him. Heck, it might be a good way to get funding for what is otherwise a pretty unglamorous but absolutely necessary category of vessels if we just let various interest groups name them.

That said, I suspect the crew's nicknames for the USS Harvey Milk would be both hilarious and quite politically incorrect.

[gunnut]

You'd need more seamen on that poopdeck...

[bigross86]

Two whales, a male and a female, were swimming side by side in the ocean.

Suddenly, the male whale spots a ship in the distance. He recognizes it as the whaling ship that killed his father.

Filled with anger, he says to his female companion, "That's the ship that killed my father!

Let's swim closer!"

When they were close enough, the male said, "Why don't we swim under the ship and blow air through our blow holes and break the ship into a million pieces? That will be sweet revenge." And the female agreed to this.

So they each took a deep breath of air, swam under the ship, and blew enormous amounts of air under the ship.

The ship flew into the air and crashed back to the sea and broke into a million pieces.

The pair of whales started to swim off when they realized that the sailors were not dead, but clinging to pieces of wood and floating in the ocean.

The male whale was furious and said to the female whale, "They're still alive, but I've got another idea. Let's swim around and gulp up all the sailors!"

That's when the female stopped swimming, looked at the male and said, "Oh no... I agreed to the blow job but I'm NOT swallowing the seamen"

[TopHatter]

At least Milk actually served. I don't think I'd be terribly put out if they did name an appropriate ship, like a sub tender or some other kind of auxiliary, after him.

I agree, he served and was discharged honorably. And unlike Chavez, apparently didn't utterly despise his time in the Navy.

Having said that, just what the hell do liberal Californians care about the Navy.

[bigross86]

They like seeing the sailors in their uniforms?

[gunnut]

I agree, he served and was discharged honorably. And unlike Chavez, apparently didn't utterly despise his time in the Navy.

Having said that, just what the hell do liberal Californians care about the Navy.

They don't. They care about the "contributions made by the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender community to the state of California."

A legislation was passed not long ago to require schools to teach students about the "contributions made by the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender community to the state of California."

That's why they want a ship to be named USS Harvey Milk as a recognition of "contributions made by the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender community to the state of California."

[Gun Grape]

They don't. They care about the "contributions made by the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender community to the state of California."

A legislation was passed not long ago to require schools to teach students about the "contributions made by the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender community to the state of California."

That's why they want a ship to be named USS Harvey Milk as a recognition of "contributions made by the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender community to the state of California."

Then they should love the Navy

[dmwnc1959]

I actually got an invite to the Commissioning Ceremony for one of the new Virginia-class subs the USS Mississippi (SSN-782) having been a Plank Owner on the USS Mississippi (CGN-40) but unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts among other reasons (lack of money!). It would have been cool to witness.

[AdityaMookerjee]

You know, the U. S. Navy has a technological, as well as numerical superiority, among world navies. Everyone knows about the Seawolf class of submarines, which the Virginia class submarine replaced. The Seawolf class was simply too expensive to build. It had many expensive, advanced technologies. The Virginia class submarine, it seems, is less high tech, but is seen to be effective, and meets the needs of the U. S. Navy. The U. S. Navy seems to be confident, that the Virginia class is not going to be outclassed for a long time, or the class wouldn't have been commissioned. It also seems, that the U. S. Navy feels that the tech. in the Seawolf class, is beyond the imagination of other navies.