U.S. Navy Awards Contract For Construction of 14th Virginia-class submarine

[Someoneforyou]

General Dynamics Awarded $1.2 Billion for Second FY11 Virginia-class Submarine by U.S. Navy
UNITED STATES - 29 APRIL 2011

GROTON, Conn. – The U.S. Navy has released $1.2 billion for the construction of the 14th Virginia-class submarine, SSN-787, to General Dynamics Electric Boat, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD). This award marks the beginning of production of two submarines per year on the Virginia-class program.

The release of the funding allows procurement of long lead-time components that will support the planned official construction start later this year on the as-yet-unnamed submarine at Electric Boat and its teammate, Huntington Ingalls Industries in Newport News, Va.

"Today represents the culmination of an extraordinary effort by the Virginia-class team," said John D. Holmander, Electric Boat's vice president for the Virginia Program. "From the engineers and designers who reduced the cost of the Virginia Class, to the shipbuilders who have delivered the submarines ahead of schedule and under budget, to the vendors who worked with us on cost-containment strategies, and of course the Navy, which has managed the program now recognized as a model for Pentagon procurement, this has truly been a collective effort."

Holmander also credited the Connecticut, Rhode Island and Virginia congressional delegations for their tireless support of the Virginia-class program, resulting in approval for the Navy to double submarine production from one to two submarines per year.

"This milestone is possible only because of the Connecticut, Rhode Island and Virginia delegations' efforts to educate their colleagues on the tremendous contribution of Virginia-class submarines to the United States' national security," Holmander said.

The shipbuilding team's attention remains focused on capturing additional efficiencies wherever possible, Holmander said.

"Reducing the cost of Virginia Class ships to the point where the Navy can afford to acquire two ships per year has demanded an intense process of continuous improvement," Holmander said. "Our task now is to ensure that we demonstrate additional improvement on each ship so taxpayers get the best possible return on the nation's investment in submarines."

The Virginia class is the first U.S. Navy warship designed from the keel up for the full range of mission requirements in the post-Cold War era. Optimized for maximum technological and operational flexibility, these submarines play a key role in the nation's defense with their stealth, firepower and unlimited endurance.

Virginia-class submarines displace 7,800 tons, with a hull length of 377 feet and a diameter of 34 feet. They are capable of speeds in excess of 25 knots and can dive to a depth greater than 800 feet, while carrying Mark 48 advanced capability torpedoes, Tomahawk land attack missiles and unmanned underwater vehicles.

Electric Boat last received funds for two submarines in 1991, when the Navy ordered the USS Connecticut (SSN 22) and USS Louisiana (SSBN 743), the final Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine.

Source: General Dynamics

 

[Someoneforyou]

General Dynamics Wins $33M for Advanced Submarine Research & Development
UNITED STATES - 17 MAY 2011

Pentagon Contract Announcement

General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn., is being awarded a $33,500,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-11-C-2109) for engineering and technical design services to support research and development of advanced submarine technologies for current and future submarine platforms.

Advanced submarine research and development includes studies to support the manufacturability, maintainability, producibility, reliability, manning, survivability, hull integrity, performance, structural, weight/margin, stability, arrangements, machinery systems, acoustics, hydrodynamics, ship control, logistics, human factors, materials, weapons handling and stowage, submarine safety, and affordability. Work will also include development and design of advanced submarine research and development technologies include integration/incorporation of technologies for tests/deployment of onboard advanced development models and engineering test platforms on designated research and development test platform(s) and current and future submarine platforms; fabrication of advanced engineering development models and prototypes required to demonstrate proof-of-concepts; and engineering design, technical assessment, systems integration, and configuration management and control services to support large scale vehicle test platforms.

The program also supports near term insertion of Virginia-class technology; identification of Ohio-class replacement technology options; future submarine concepts; and core technologies.

Work will be performed in Groton, Conn., and is expected to be completed by October 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year.

The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Source: U.S Department of Defense

 

[Bot]

That is an amazing look.i wonder how the members say that china is catching up when going by even today the US is light years ahead of its nearest rival.

Thanks for the picture

 

[Someoneforyou]

U.S. Navy Selects Lockheed Martin to Provide Submarine Technology Upgrade
UNITED STATES - 21 JUNE 2011

MANASSAS, Va., June 21st, 2011 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] received a U.S. Navy contract to provide submarine combat and sonar systems designed around commercially available hardware and software.

The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract has a ceiling value of $758 million.

"Our expertise in taking commercial components and electronics, such as switches, servers and displays, and packaging them to work in the harsh military environment that used to require custom hardware has saved the Navy more than $1.5 billion, and we are using these same processes to maximize continued cost savings to the Navy," said John Nikolai, Lockheed Martin director for communications and workstations.

The Navy's Technology Insertion Hardware program includes design, development and production of hardware for the next two submarine technology insertions planned for Seawolf, SSGN, 688/688i, Virginia Class, and future submarine systems and platforms. The U.S. Navy will provide the Royal Australian Navy with similar technology insertions for the Collins Class submarines through the Foreign Military Sales program.

Through seven previous technology insertions on programs such as the AN/UYQ-70 combat computer server suite, Lockheed Martin has delivered 8,000 workstations and servers on schedule to the U.S. Navy over 14 years.

In addition to Lockheed Martin, subcontractors DRS Technologies and Progeny Systems will play key roles in the production of hardware.


Source: Lockheed Martin

 

[Someoneforyou]

Future USS California Successfully Passes Sea Trials
UNITED STATES - 5 JULY 2011

WASHINGTON --- Future USS California (SSN 781) returned to Newport News, Va., July 2 after successfully completing the its initial sea trials.

Testing evolutions completed during the ship's initial, or Alpha, sea trials included diving to test depth, conducting an emergency surfacing and testing the submarine's propulsion plant.

The evolutions are designed to evaluate the ship's seaworthiness and operational performance.

California, the Navy's newest Virginia-class submarine, is commanded by Cmdr. Dana Nelson, a native of Clinton, Conn.

"California's outstanding performance during Alpha trials is a testament to the quality of the design, the talent of the shipbuilding team and the hard work of Cmdr. Nelson and his crew in getting the ship to this point," said Rear Adm. (Select) Michael Jabaley, Virginia-class program manager. "Delivering this ship early will provide another much-needed asset to the fleet ahead of schedule."

The eighth ship of the Virginia class, California is on track to be delivered nine months early to the fleet. All Virginia-class submarines currently under construction are scheduled to be delivered earlier than their original contract delivery dates.

California will next undergo Bravo sea trials and the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey trials, which will commence in late July 2011. Built under a unique teaming agreement by General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls-Newport News, the submarine will be commissioned in fall 2011 in Norfolk.

"The partnership between our shipbuilders and our Navy team has been a key factor in the Virginia class' success," said Program Executive Officer Submarines Rear Adm. David Johnson. "The team's efforts are paying great dividends to the fleet and will allow the U.S. Submarine Force to continue to operate without peer."

Virginia-class submarines are designed to dominate the world's littoral and deep waters while conducting anti-submarine; anti-surface ship; strike; special operation forces; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; irregular warfare; and mine warfare missions. Their inherent stealth, endurance, firepower and sensor suite directly enable them to support five of the six Maritime Strategy core capabilities.

Source: U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command

 

[Someoneforyou]

Virginia-class Submarine USS California (SSN 781) Delivered to U.S. Navy More Than Eight and a Half Months Ahead of Schedule
UNITED STATES - 8 AUGUST 2011

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Aug. 8, 2011 -- Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) announced that its Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division delivered the Virginia-class submarine California (SSN 781) to the U.S. Navy on Aug. 7. The delivery came more than eight and a half months early to the contract date and nearly five months faster than NNS' previous delivery of New Mexico.

California, the world's most modern and sophisticated nuclear-powered attack submarine, recently returned to NNS following the successful completion of its third and final round of sea trials.

"This is the day that shipbuilders work toward," said Becky Stewart, vice president for submarine programs at NNS. "Delivery marks the passing of ownership from the shipbuilder to the Navy, and we couldn't be more proud of this ship and the shipbuilders that built her. Our team put a lot of hard work into this submarine, and it shows. California is the fourth Virginia-class delivery for us, and each successive ship has been delivered with the highest quality at a lower cost and shorter schedule."

California is the eighth submarine in the Virginia class and the first delivered by NNS since the return of the Newport News Shipbuilding name. The ship's construction began Feb. 15, 2006, and the keel was laid during a ceremony held May 1, 2009. California was christened Nov. 6, 2010, and launched Nov. 13, 2010. The commissioning has been scheduled for Oct. 29 by the Secretary of the Navy.

Newport News Shipbuilding, one of only two shipyards capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines, is teamed with General Dynamics Electric Boat to build Virginia-class submarines. Designed to meet the Navy's requirements in a post-Cold War era, Virginia-class submarines use advanced technologies to increase firepower, maneuverability and stealth. The 377-foot long submarines are capable of submerged speeds of more than 25 knots and can stay submerged for up to three months at a time.

Source: Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

 

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Re: U.S. Navy Awards Contract For Construction of 14th Virginia-class

Huntington - News Releases - Video Release -- Virginia-Class Submarine John Warner (SSN 785) Launched for Final Outfitting and Testing