Keel Authentications

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (Dec. 15, 2023) — HII’s (NYSE: HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding announced today the keel authentication of the Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) guided missile destroyer George M. Neal (DDG 131). The ship’s name honors George M. Neal, a Korean War veteran and an aviation machinist’s mate third class who was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic actions while attempting to rescue a fellow service member. 

“Laying the keel of another Flight III DDG is a great way to celebrate the namesake of the ship and our world-class shipbuilders,” Ingalls Shipbuilding DDG-51 Program Manager Ben Barnett said. “Our ship namesake displayed the kind of courage and leadership that inspires us at Ingalls to have the same dedication to our mission. We are so grateful to our ship sponsor for being a part of the life of this ship and for sharing her family’s legacy with us.” 

Neal volunteered as crewman to fly in a helicopter deep into North Korean mountains to attempt the rescue of a Marine aviator who had been shot down and was trapped by the enemy. During the rescue attempt, under heavy enemy fire, Neal’s helicopter was disabled and crashed. He assisted his pilot and the rescued aviator in evading enemy forces for nine days before being captured and held as a prisoner of war. Neal was eventually released and returned to the U.S. with more than 320 fellow POWs in 1952. 

The ship’s sponsor and daughter of the namesake, Kelley Neal Gray, was in attendance and joined Ingalls Structural Welder Morris Johnson in welding her initials onto a steel plate, signifying the keel of DDG 131 as being “truly and fairly laid.” The plate will remain affixed to the ship throughout its lifetime. George M. Neal (DDG 131) is the fourth Flight III destroyer to be constructed at Ingalls. 

Picture courtesy of Naval Sea Systems Command and article courtesy of HII.

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (Sept. 20, 2023) — HII’s (NYSE: HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division authenticated the keel today for the America-class amphibious ship Fallujah (LHA 9). The ship’s sponsor, Donna Berger, former first lady of the Marine Corps and spouse of Gen. David H. Berger, 38th commandant of the Marine Corps, was in attendance to declare the keel “truly and fairly laid.” During the authentication ceremony Ingalls Welder Seveta Gray welded the initials of the sponsor onto a ceremonial keel plate that will remain with the ship throughout its life. “Ingalls is honored to mark this important milestone with our shipbuilders and so many of our critical partners here today,” Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said. “Whether representing namesake, customer, community or shipyard, today’s keel event demonstrates the unique connection we have to one another through this industry and through our respective devotion to service.” Ingalls was pleased to host Under Secretary of the Navy Erik Raven who also provided remarks at the ceremony. “The USS Fallujah, like her predecessors the USS America, USS Tripoli and USS Bougainville, will one day join the amphibious fleet, and serve as the centerpiece for amphibious ready groups and Marine Expeditionary Units,” Raven said. “L-class ships like the future USS Fallujah make our Navy and Marine Corps a potent fighting team, forward-postured around the globe, ready to respond to crisis and disaster.” The future USS Fallujah (LHA 9) is the fourth America-class large-deck amphibious assault ship built at Ingalls Shipbuilding and the second ship in the class to be built with a well deck. Similar to Bougainville, Fallujah will retain the aviation capability of the America-class design while adding the surface assault capability of a well deck and a larger flight deck configured for F-35B Joint Strike Fighter and MV-22 Osprey aircraft. These large-deck amphibious assault ships also include top-of-the-line medical facilities with full operating suites and triage capabilities. The America class is a multi-functional and versatile ship that is capable of operating in a high density, multi-threat environment as an integral member of an expeditionary strike group, an amphibious task force or an amphibious ready group.

Photo and text courtesy of HII

GROTON, Conn. – Senior Navy leaders and shipbuilders gathered at General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard in Groton, Connecticut, to attend a keel-laying ceremony for the future Virginia-class submarine USS Tang (SSN 805), Aug. 17.

The keel laying ceremony signifies a major milestone in the life of a ship as the ship transitions to reality. The future USS Tang will be a Block V submarine and the 32nd Virginia Class submarine.

During his remarks, Vice Adm. William Houston, Commander, Submarine Forces addressed the industrial team stressing the importance of their work.

“I look at you, the workers, who build these magnificent submarines and I just cannot thank you enough,” said Houston. “As a submarine force commander responsible for 25,000 Submariners, you give us the best platform to operate in the world.” Houston continued by underscoring the role shipyard workers hold in the defense industry. “You are contributing to an enterprise of defense of the greatest nation in the world in support of freedom and democracy throughout the world.”

In a time-honored Navy tradition, the submarine’s sponsor, Ms. Mimi Donnelly, in collaboration with a welder etched her initials onto a steel plate that will be installed on the submarine. The bond symbolizes the enduring relationship between the sponsor, the ship, and her crew.

Donnelly has a long history of volunteer service to the Navy community. She was awarded the Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award for her leadership while serving as the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation and as a Senior Advisor to the Submarine Officer Spouse Association.

“I am honored to recognize Ms. Donnelly, as well as the shipbuilders who are here today, to celebrate Tang’s keel laying as we look forward to a long life of service,” said Capt. Mike Hollenbach, Virginia-class program manager. “This is a significant milestone as the submarine begins to take shape in preparation for future delivery to the Fleet where she will enforce our freedom by deterring enemies, protecting our interests and underscoring our nation’s dominance of the seas.”

Tang is the third Navy submarine to be named for the regal blue surgeonfish, chosen in honor of the success both previous namesakes endured in battle.

The first Navy ship to bear the name Tang, SS 306, was commissioned in 1943 and is one of the most storied American submarines in history, with more than 30 enemy ships hit or sunk during battles in the Pacific theater. Tang (SS 306) received four battle stars and two Presidential Unit Citations for service during World War II, and its commanding officer received the Medal of Honor for the ship’s final heroic actions.

Photo contributed by General Dynamics Electric Boat

Article contributed by Team Subs

From left, Cmdr. Aaron Stutzman, commanding officer of the pre-commissioning unit, Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin, NNS welder Alex VanCampen, and ship’s sponsor Mary “Molly” Slavonic at the keel authentication ceremony for Virginia-class attack submarine Oklahoma (SSN 802) at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 (Photo by Ashley Cowan/HII).

NEWPORT NEWS, Va - The keel laying signifies a major milestone in the life of a ship where the ship begins to transition from design to reality. The future USS Oklahoma will be the 29th Virginia Class Submarine and the first Block V submarine. It is the second Navy vessel, and the first submarine, to be named for the state of Oklahoma.

“Today represents a culmination of hard work and skill performed by a talented shipbuilding workforce and a strong foundation for future Sailors who will patrol the deep seas aboard Oklahoma in service of our nation,” said Capt. Mike Hollenbach, Virginia Class Program Manager.

In a time-honored Navy tradition, the submarine’s sponsor, Ms. Mary Slavonic, looked on as a NNS welder etched her initials onto a ceremonial steel plate that will be installed on the submarine at a later date. The bond symbolizes the enduring relationship between the sponsor, the ship, and her crew.

Slavonic has a long history of civic support to both her native state of Oklahoma and to the Navy. She worked alongside her husband, acting Under Secretary of the Navy Greg Slavonic, in building the USS Oklahoma (BB-37) Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to honor the 429 Sailors and Marines who perished aboard the ship December 7, 1941.

Article and picture provided by Fleet Forces Command

Ship Sponsor Nikki Stratton (left foreground) and Electric Boat welder Bob Hobday prepare to weld Stratton's initials into a plate that will be placed on the future USS Arizona (SSN 803), during the boat's keel authentication ceremony at the Electric Boat Quonset Point Facility in North Kingstown, R.I., Dec. 7. The submarine will be the first U.S. naval vessel to bear the name Arizona since battleship USS Arizona (BB 39) was sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

WASHINGTON – Senior Navy leaders, elected officials, and industry partners gathered at General Dynamics Electric Boat’s Quonset Point Facility, Dec. 7, to attend a keel-authentication ceremony for future Virginia-class submarine USS Arizona (SSN 803).

The submarine will be the first U.S. naval vessel to bear the name Arizona since battleship USS Arizona (BB 39) was sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. After being struck with several bombs, Arizona burned for two days and more than 1100 of her crew were lost. The lives lost during the attack are now permanently memorialized by the USS Arizona Memorial, erected over her sunken hull in the berth she has occupied since that historic day. 

“The boats in this class are the most advanced attack submarines ever designed. Their stealth, firepower, and maneuverability are superior to every other attack submarine force in the world. Additionally, Arizona will be the first of the Virginia-class equipped with the Virginia Payload Module, enabling the submarine to deliver an even wider variety of capabilities,” said Rear Adm. Jonathan Rucker, Program Executive Office, Attack Submarines. “Building, operating and maintaining Arizona and other Virginia-class subs is crucial to ensuring the Navy’s ability to project power in an ever-shifting global threat environment, and to maintaining peace and the free operation of our sea lanes.”

 The ship’s sponsor, Nikki Stratton, is the granddaughter of Donald Stratton, who was serving as a Seaman First Class aboard Arizona during the 1941 attack. Badly burned, he was discharged in 1942, but successfully reenlisted in 1944 and returned to the Western Pacific serving aboard destroyer USS Stack (DD-406) to fight in New Guinea, the Philippines and the Battle of Okinawa. Stratton spent the remainder of his life helping honor those who gave their lives during the attack on Pearl Harbor and other battles. He died at the age of 97, in February 2020.

 Per Navy tradition, the ship’s sponsor’s initials were welded onto a steel plate to be permanently mounted in a place of honor on the completed vessel.

Arizona will be the 30th Virginia-class submarine. Boats in this class can hit shore-based targets with highly accurate Tomahawk cruise missiles and are capable of long-term, stealth surveillance of sea forces, littoral waters or ground targets. Their design also provides for Special Forces delivery and support, mine delivery and minefield mapping, and anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare.

Arizona’s Virginia Payload Module will comprise four large-diameter, vertical payload tubes in a new hull section inserted into the existing Virginia-class submarine design. The tubes enable the submarine to deliver a variety of capabilities, including weapons, unmanned undersea vehicles, and other undersea payloads.

Picture contributed from General Dynamics Electric Boat.  Article from Team Submarines Public Affairs

The keel for the future USNS Saginaw Ojibwe Anishinabek (T-ATS 8) was ceremonially laid at Bollinger Houma Shipyards, Oct. 3, 2022.  

Named for the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe, the ship honors the original people of modern day Michigan and their proud tradition of service to their country. Ojibwe is also referred to as Chippewa and Anishinabek means “original people.” The keel authenticator was the Honorable Theresa Peters Jackson, Chief of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe.

“This is an awesome Navy day as we gather to celebrate this multi-mission platform and the range of capabilities it will bring to the fleet, including towing, salvage, rescue, oil spill response and humanitarian assistance,” said Rear Adm. Tom Anderson, Program Executive Officer, Ships. “It is an honor to be joined by members of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe as the keel is authenticated for their namesake ship and we are excited to honor their heritage and commitment to service of country.”

The Navajo class (T-ATS) provides ocean-going tug, salvage, and rescue capabilities to support fleet operations. T-ATS replaces and fulfills the capabilities that were previously provided by the Fleet Ocean Tug (T-ATF 166) and Rescue and Salvage Ships (T-ARS 50) class ships.

In addition to T-ATS 8, Bollinger is constructing USNS Navajo (T-ATS 6) and USNS Cherokee Nation (T-ATS 7) and is under contract for USNS Lenni Lenape (T-ATS 9) and USNS Muscogee Creek Nation (T-ATS 10).

Picture and article provided by Naval Sea Systems Command

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – With the words, “I hereby declare the keel of the United States Ship Enterprise truly and fairly laid,” Olympians Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky chalked their initials on respective steel plates, which were then embossed by skilled welders and affixed to the keel of the future USS Enterprise (CVN 80), Saturday at the HII-Newport News Shipyard (NNS), in Newport News, Va.

Ledecky attended the historic keel laying ceremony for the nation’s most advanced aircraft carrier in person, while Biles participated via a pre-recorded message from the World Champions Center in Spring, Texas. Five years earlier, on Aug. 24, 2017, Biles and Ledecky attended CVN 80’s First Cut of Steel ceremony, marking the initial major construction milestone for the Enterprise—the third ship in the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)-class of aircraft carriers.

On Saturday, after NNS welders Ephony King and Jonathan Rishor finished welding the athletes’ initials on small, steel plates, NNS Lead Rigger, Mike “Chile” Williams, passed a radio to Ledecky, who gave the command for NNS Crane Operator Charlie Holloway to lower the 688-ton keel unit into the dry-dock. This section of the ship will support the forward half of the Enterprise, when the CVN 80 is fully assembled. The ceremonial plates will be affixed permanently to the ship’s keel.

Work on the Enterprise has been progressing on schedule, since NNS loaded the Enterprise’s keel unit during the ship’s first “super-lift,” on April 5th, 2022. With the first main structural member in place, workers have continued erecting the aircraft carrier in the dry dock by joining together a series of pre-outfitted modules.

“This is a significant milestone for the ship and the class,” said Rear Adm. James P. Downey, program executive officer for aircraft carriers (PEO CV). “The shipyard has taken lessons from building USS Gerald R. Ford and John F. Kennedy and applied them directly to constructing Enterprise. Our industry partners are applying the best practices of Integrated Digital Shipbuilding into the process, and that enables efficiencies, both in terms of cost and schedule.”

Capt. Brian Metcalf, who leads the Gerald R. Ford-Class New Construction Program Office, offered examples of the ship’s many construction efficiencies. “Procuring CVN 80 and CVN 81 as part of a two-ship buy has already allowed us to realize efficiencies in the early construction process. And building the aircraft carrier with fewer, but larger, pre-outfitted super-lifts has been a major improvement that contributes to streamlining the construction of CVN 80 over previous Ford-class hulls.”

CVN 80’s dry-dock erection program, for example, comprises 131 such super-lifts. In comparison, crews erected USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) by means of 162 super-lifts, and the Future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) with 155.

Future USS Enterprise will be the ninth U.S. Navy warship to bear the name, with the first being a sloop-of-war, commissioned in 1775, after her capture from the British during the American War of Independence. The last Enterprise (CVN 65), served as the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier from 1961–2017, and is currently moored nearby in the shipyard awaiting the results of an environmental impact statement and a Navy decision on disposal options.

The Enterprise Legacy

On hand to honor the legacy that unites builders and sailors during the keel laying celebration was 99-year-old, retired Chief Petty Officer Bill Norberg, who served as chief yeoman on board USS Enterprise (CV 6) during the entirety of World War II. Norberg witnessed, firsthand, countless pivotal moments during the War in the Pacific, including the Doolittle Raid launched from the USS Hornet (CV 8) and the Battle of Midway. Norberg’s ‘Enterprise’ was the seventh combatant to carry the name.

Kevin Cormier, acting executive director for PEO Aircraft Carriers, noted that Norberg represents the link between CV 6 and CVN 80. “Shipbuilding and maintenance is a tough, enduring business. And the task of readying combatants that serve the sailor and meet the challenge of the seas is more critical than ever.”

Cormier added, “Chief Norberg’s service and his consummate humility is what our business is all about—a chain that endures because of the efforts of sailors and our ship designers and builders to construct, sustain, and support the nation’s aircraft carrier fleet throughout a ship’s entire service life, from design and construction to inactivation and disposal.” In his dual-hatted role, Cormier also serves as deputy program manager for the Gerald R. Ford-Class New Construction Program Office.

Ceremony Attendees

Under Secretary of the Navy Erik K. Raven delivered the keynote address and spoke poignantly on the significance of the occasion. “The power of this ceremony—at this shipyard, in our country, on this day—is to mark another ship’s life being started to serve more generations of Americans, service members, friends, families, leaders, partners, and allies.”

Raven added, “Fittingly, in the presence of the previous Big E, we now lay the keel of the next Enterprise—the newest future naval warship, CVN 80.”

Raven also noted that 2022 marks 100 years of carrier-based aviation. He said that while the USS Langley (CV 1) began on 20 March 1922 as an experimental platform, it soon “proved to be the catalyst of a revolution, changing the way we fought at sea and expanding the Navy’s reach. The aircraft carrier became an icon and is recognized world-wide as a beacon of both strength and hope and an undeniable representation of U.S. diplomacy. And the future Enterprise will be another sure symbol of our commitment to protecting freedom on the oceans and around the world.”

Raven assumed the responsibilities of the Under Secretary of the Navy on April 13, 2022. He serves as the Department of Navy’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Management Officer.

Adm. Daryl Caudle, Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, explained during his remarks that “Enterprise will be key to advancing the idea of integrated deterrence through its enhanced capabilities, including its unmatched mobility and range; advanced combat and control and communication systems; it’s life-of-ship nuclear power plant; and, perhaps most important, its ability to deliver the most robust and lethal next-generation strike aircraft at unprecedented pace and persistency.”

Other distinguished visitors included Congressional Representatives Rob Wittman, (R-VA, 1st District); Elaine Luria (D-VA, 2nd District); and Bobby Scott, (D-VA, 3rd District).

The Navy-Industry team on hand to commemorate Enterprise’s keel-laying included Jennifer Boykin, president, Newport News Shipbuilding; RADM John Meier, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic; RADM James P. Downey, PEO CV; and Capt. Hannah Kriewaldt, Commanding Officer, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Newport News.

Boykin, who served as master of ceremonies, recognized members of the audience, including HII President and CEO Chris Kastner, Newport News Mayor, McKinley Price; Ann Zumwalt, representing

the Society of Sponsors of the United States Navy; suppliers from the Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base Coalition (ACIBC); as well as veterans who served aboard previous Enterprise ships.

Ship Sponsors

The ship’s sponsors are internationally renowned. Ledecky is a three-time Olympian, participating in the 2012, 2016, 2020 Games, earning 10 medals. Her seven Olympic Gold medals and 15 World Championship Gold medals are the most for any female swimmer. Ledecky has broken 14 World Records and 37 American Records during her career. And in June, Ledecky made history when she became the first swimmer to win five consecutive world championship titles in an individual event.

Biles is the most decorated U.S. women’s gymnast, with 32 World/Olympic medals. She competed in two Olympic Games, 2016 and 2020, earning seven Olympic medals—the most won by a U.S. gymnast. Biles received the Presidential Medal of Freedom on July 7, 2022 for her work as an advocate for mental health awareness.

With Ledecky’s parents, David and Mary Gen (Hagan) Ledecky, in the audience, the world champion swimmer spoke about everyday workers as the nation’s real heroes: “often unrecognized…who work in very difficult and all-consuming jobs, where things are created and built…and where our health, our society, and our freedoms are protected.” Ledecky thanked the shipyard workers, and said, “By helping to keep our military strong, you are helping to keep our country safe.”

Ledecky also reflected on the service of her late grandfather, Edward Jordan Hagan, M.D., who served with the 1st Marine Division as a combat surgeon “in some of the worst battles” in the Pacific during World War II, and recognized the sacrifices of the shipbuilders, service members, and their families.

She talked about the importance of endurance, fortitude, and consistency in swimming and in life, traits reflected in her favorite training mantras: “Take the lead, keep the lead”; and “No shortcuts.”

Ledecky said, “It’s apparent to me that even as these shipbuilders work with great efficiency—another key in swimming, to complete each task, no shortcuts are being taken to ensure that the “Big E” lives up to its great reputation.” Ledecky encouraged the “Big E” family to “keep the end-goal in mind while celebrating the small victories of your teammates …and encourage each other along the way.”

Co-ship sponsor Simone Biles, speaking in a taped message from her home gym in Spring, Texas, said she was proud to be part of the Enterprise legacy and to celebrate the next big milestone on the ship’s way toward christening and delivery.

The Gerald R. Ford-class

Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers displace approximately 100,000 tons and are 1,092 feet in length, with a beam of 124 feet; and can operate at more than 30 knots. Designed to be operated by a smaller crew than previous aircraft carrier, each Ford-class ship will afford significant savings in total ownership costs during a 50-year service life, when compared to the Nimitz-class ships they are designed to replace.

The future USS Enterprise is scheduled to replace the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), which is currently slated for inactivation in 2029.

Keel laying is an event in which the initials of the boat’s sponsor are welded onto a plate attached to the submarine, signifying a major milestone in the construction of a boat.

District of Columbia is the first Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine being constructed in the minimum 12-ship class, which will replace the existing 14 Ohio-class nuclear-ballistic submarine force due to begin retiring from service in 2027.

Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, highlighted the significance of ballistic missile submarines as the most survivable leg of the U.S. military’s nuclear triad.

“As every ballistic-missile submarine has since the keel laying of USS George Washington (SSBN 598) here at Electric Boat in November 1958 – the District of Columbia, and all those in its class will continue to serve as the most survivable leg of the nuclear triad – standing constant watch far beneath the waves, as we have done for over 63 years – a stalwart deterrent against those who would seek to do the unspeakable,” said Caudle.

Caudle also spoke on the keel laying of District of Columbia as a historic occasion in ensuring American’s freedom and way of life for the foreseeable future.

“Laying the keel of the future USS District of Columbia truly is a historic occasion – not only for the countless designers, welders, metal workers, electricians, and master craftsmen whose unmatched expertise, ingenuity, hard work, and dedication will bring this modern marvel to life – but for the future Sailors who will prowl the deep inside her hull, protecting our nation, deterring strategic attacks, and ensuring our freedom and way of life for decades to come,” said Caudle.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, the event’s principal speaker, echoed Caudle’s sentiment on the importance of the Columbia-class being the largest, most capable and most advanced submarine produced by the U.S. as an insurance policy.

“As Admiral Caudle detailed, the Columbia class will be the cornerstone of our strategic deterrence, the ultimate guarantor of our National Security,” said Del Toro. “Our strategic submarines represent approximately 70 percent of America’s deployed nuclear arsenal.”

Del Toro continued to speak on the need to modernize our Submarine Force to ensure the safety and security of the world.

“Potential adversaries know the silent service is on patrol at this very moment, but they don’t know where and that protects us all,” said Del Toro. “The venerable Ohio-class that has guarded us for decades is nearing the end of its service life. For the safety of our Sailors, and the security of our world, we must modernize our fleet, and our nuclear command, control, and communications systems.”

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), the boat’s sponsor and the delegate to the House of Representatives from the ship’s name, the District of Columbia, attended the ceremony. Her initials were welded onto a plate by Electric Boat welder Maria Betance-Pizarro. “As a third-generation Washingtonian, I am excited and honored to be the sponsor of the future USS Columbia,” said Norton. “I look forward to meeting and establishing relationships with the men and women who will serve aboard her.”

The U.S. Navy, alongside Electric Boat, began the conceptual designs for Columbia in 2007 as a replacement for the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines. The Columbia-class will carry 16 missiles each, which in total represents approximately 70 percent of the U.S. nuclear triad.

The Columbia-class remains the Navy’s number one acquisition priority and is scheduled to see its first delivery in 2027. The transition from the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines to the new Columbia-class will ensure continuous sea-based strategic deterrence into the 2080s.

At a length of 560 feet and displacing 20,810 tons, the Columbia will be the largest submarine ever built by the U.S. Its reactor will not require refueling during the lifetime of planned service making the ship more cost-effective to operate and maximizing its time in deployment. In addition to its complement of missiles, the submarine will be armed with Mk 48 torpedoes and will feature superior acoustic performance and state-of-the-art sensors to make it the most capable and quiet submarine ever built.

The Submarine Force executes the Department of the Navy’s mission in and from the undersea domain. In addition to lending added capacity to naval forces, the Submarine Force, in particular, is expected to leverage those special advantages that come with undersea concealment to permit operational, deterrent and combat effects that the Navy and the nation could not otherwise achieve.

The Submarine Force and supporting organizations constitute the primary undersea arm of the Navy. Submarines and their crews remain the tip of the undersea spear.

Read more about the tradition of keel laying and other important moments in the lives of U.S. Navy ships here: https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Team-Ships/Shipbuilding-101/

Article and Picture provided by Naval Sea Systems and Commander, Submarine Forces Public Affairs

MOBILE, Ala. (Oct. 28, 2020) Lolita Zinke, left, the sponsor of the future littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32), welds her initials into the ship’s keel plate during a keel-laying ceremony at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama, Oct. 27, 2020. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Austal USA)

(Original story courtesy of NAVSEA)

The U.S. Navy held a keel-laying ceremony on Oct. 27 for the future USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) at the Austal USA shipyard.

Lolita Zinke, the ship’s sponsor, authenticated the keel in a small ceremony, with limited attendance due to health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. As Santa Barbara’s sponsor, Zinke serves as an advocate and honorary member of the crew. 

David Growden, vice president of Small Surface Combatant Programs, Austal USA; and Cmdr. Kris Netemeyer, LCS program manager’s representative, Supervisor of Shipbuilding Gulf Coast Detachment, spoke at the ceremony.

“Through this new warship and the name she bears, we honor a city that represents the very best of the American spirit,” said Capt. Mike Taylor, LCS program manager. “We set forth the Santa Barbara armed with the most adaptive and effective capabilities, designed to defend the United States.”

The littoral combat ship (LCS) class consists of the Freedom-variant and Independence-variant, designed and built by two industry teams. The Independence team is led by Austal USA, which produces the even-numbered hulls. LCS 32 is the 16th Independence-variant ship. There are 11 LCSs of both variants currently under construction.

LCS is a highly maneuverable, lethal and adaptable ship designed to support focused mine countermeasures, anti-submarine and surface warfare missions. The Independence-variant LCS integrates new technology and capability to support current and future mission capability, from deep water to the littorals.

The initials of Virginia-class submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798) Sheryl Sandberg were displayed at the ship’s keel authentication ceremony. Sandberg (center left) delivered pre-recorded remarks during the event, which marks the ceremonial start of construction. (Picture source Huntington Ingalls)

(Original article appears courtesy of Navy Recognition)

The Virginia-class attack submarine Massachusetts SSN 798 is the 25th Virginia-class fast attack submarine being built under the teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat. Construction began in March 2017 and is approximately 50% complete. The boat is scheduled for delivery to the Navy in 2023. Massachusetts was part of a $17.6 billion contract awarded by the U.S. Navy to prime contractor General Dynamics Electric Boat to construct ten Virginia-class submarines.

The Virginia-class is a nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarine. Currently, 19 Virginia-class submarines are in service with the U.S. Navy and another batch of 18 submarines are already ordered by the U.S. Navy.

The U.S. Navy has been procuring Virginia-class SSNs since Fiscal Year 1998 and the first submarine entered service in October 2004. The baseline Virginia-class design is slightly larger than the Los Angeles-class design but incorporates newer technologies, including technologies used in the Seawolf-class design

The U.S. Navy has three classes of SSNs (Submersible Ship Nuclear) in service. Los Angeles-class (SSN 688) submarines are the backbone of the submarine force, with approximately 40 now in commission. The U.S. Navy also has three Seawolf-class submarines. Commissioned July 19, 1997, USS Seawolf (SSN 21) is exceptionally quiet, fast, well-armed, and equipped with advanced sensors.

The U.S. Navy continues to build the next-generation attack submarine, the Virginia (SSN 774) class. More than a dozen Virginias have been commissioned to date, and they will replace Los Angeles Class submarines as they retire. The Virginia-class is available in five Blocks from I to V.

The Virginia-class Block I to IV is armed with 12 VLS Vertical Launching System (Tomahawk BGM-109) tubes, four 533 mm torpedo tubes (Mk-48 torpedo), RGM-84 Harpoon, 25 torpedoes & missiles (torpedo room) + 12 missiles (VLS tubes), while the Block V will be armed with VPM module (28 Tomahawk BGM-109), VLS (Tomahawk BGM-109) tubes, four 533 mm torpedo tubes (Mk-48 torpedo), RGM-84 Harpoon and 65 torpedoes & missiles.

https://youtu.be/CqBFg2RPiTA