U.S. Navy/Getty Images
The U.S. Navy has a huge submarine fleet, and every vessel is nuclear-powered. It’s been that method because the submarine force completely improved with nuclear power with the decommissioning of its last diesel-powered submarine, the USS Dolphin (AGSS-555), on Jan. 15, 2007. Naturally, nuclear power appeared in U.S. subs long before that, returning as far as 1954, with the intro of the USS Nautilus (SSN-571), however it took a while for the older subs to age out of the fleet.
Ad
Building anything nuclear-powered is a significant accomplishment, and it’s an extremely intricate procedure to bring all the parts together into a working boat. Submarines are much more intricate, offered how they run. Since of this, the U.S. does not develop its nuclear submarines all over the location. Rather, there are just 2 areas in the nation where they’re built. These are discovered in Groton, Connecticut, which is the earliest of the 2 websites, and Newport News, Virginia, and while they’re not the only shipyards discovered in the U.S., they are the only locations nuclear subs are developed.
Each place is handled by a various defense professional, so General Dynamics Electric Boat (GD/EB) Division preserves the operation in Groton, while Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding deals with the operation in Virginia. The center in Groton just constructs submarines, while the Newport News website likewise constructs warship. While there are numerous shipyards around the country, whenever a submarine requires considerable repair work or need to go through Refueling and Overhaul (ROH), they go back to among the 2 locations where they were built.
Ad
Huntington Ingalls Industries: Newport News, VA
Eli Wilson/Getty Images
Huntington Ingalls Industries is the only designer, contractor, and refueler for the United States’ fleet of attack aircraft carrier, however it’s likewise among the 2 locations that build nuclear submarines. Because its starting in 1886, the Newport News shipyard has actually built over 800 Navy and business vessels. It has actually contributed considerably to the U.S. war effort, though it didn’t provide its very first submarine to the Navy till 1905. Concerning submarine building and construction, Newport News Shipbuilding has actually built 29 of the 52 Los Angeles-class subs constructed.
Ad
In addition, HII partners with General Dynamics to produce the Columbia-class fleet of brand-new nuclear-powered, nuclear rocket submarines. This brand-new class will change the aging fleet of Ohio-class nuclear rocket submarines. A lots of the brand-new boats will be built at Newport News, where modules will be developed for the bow, stern, weapons modules, auxiliary equipment spaces, and the submarine’s superstructure. On top of the Columbia-class subs, Newport is likewise tough at work building Virginia-class quick attack submarines, which is likewise being performed in cooperation with General Dynamics.
Supply chain concerns might postpone the very first sub in the class from setting sail on time. Ought to that take place, the USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826) might not set sail till Fiscal Year 2028.