USS Virginia (SSN-774)

For other ships of the same name, see USS Virginia.

Virginia (SSN 774) returns to the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard following the successful completion of its "alpha" sea trials in 2004.
Career
Namesake:	U.S. state of Virginia
Ordered:	30 September 1998
Builder:	General Dynamics Electric Boat
Laid down:	2 September 1999
Launched:	16 August 2003
Commissioned:	23 October 2004
Homeport:	Template:Ship Homeport NL
Motto:	Sic Semper Tyrannis ("Thus Always To Tyrants")
Status:	in active service, as of 2024
Badge:	Ship's crest
General characteristics
Displacement:	7,800 tons
Length:	377 feet (115 m)
Beam:	34 feet (10.4 m)
Draft:	32 feet (9.8 m)
Propulsion:	S9G reactor
Speed:	25 knots (46 km/h)
Test depth:	greater than 800 feet (244 m)
Complement:	134 officers and men
Armament:	12 VLS tubes, four 21 inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes for Mk-48 torpedoes

USS Virginia (SSN-774) is a United States Navy attack submarine, the lead boat of her class and the tenth vessel of the Navy to be named for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 30 September 1998 and her keel was laid down on 2 September 1999. She was launched on 16 August 2003 sponsored by Lynda Johnson Robb, the wife of former Virginia governor and senator Charles Robb, and daughter of President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson. On 10 March and 11 March, the prospective submarine shot 12 dummy torpedoes into the Thames River from each of the boat's four tubes.

Virginia was delivered to the Navy on 12 October 2004, the 104th anniversary of the commissioning of Holland, the Navy's second submarine. She was commissioned on 23 October 2004 under the command of David J. Kern. This class of submarine is unique in that it features a Photonics Mast Program (PMP) that freed ship designers to place the boats's control room in a lower, less geometrically-constrained space than would be required by a standard, optical tube periscope. It is additionally unique in the U.S. Navy for featuring all-digital ship and ballast control systems that are manned by relatively senior watchstanders and a pressure chamber to deploy SEAL divers while being submerged.

On 23 November 2005, Virginia completed her first deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism. On 12 January 2006, Virginia entered Electric Boat's shipyard for post-shakedown availability, which was expected to last for most of 2006.

Ship's crest

"Emblazoned on a blue background that symbolizes the mighty deep, Virginia is prominently positioned. The forward view of Virginia denotes her leading the submarine force into a new century and onto a new and exciting course for the United States Navy. The gold lettering and border around the seal combined with the blue background represent the Navy’s colors of blue and gold. The silhouette of the Commonwealth of Virginia represents the state for which the boat is named. Each of the nine stars represents an American warship named Virginia. The single point of light at the stern of the boat symbolizes both the nuclear propulsion plant that powers the submarine as well as the boat’s data processing system fiber optic backbone. In keeping with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s motto, the words “Sic Semper Tyrannis” (Latin for “Thus Always To Tyrants”) appear at the bottom, which combined with the symbolism of the Commonwealth’s Seal, represents the triumph of Virtue over tyranny.

The image of George Washington also looks forward with Virginia. George Washington, a Virginia native, has been characterized as the “indispensable man” vital to the formation of the American republic. In all of history, few men who possessed unassailable power have used that power so selflessly and wisely for the welfare of their countrymen and all mankind. Virginia also stands ready in all her indisputable power to serve the people of this great nation and her allies."

References

This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register and various press releases. Other information obtained from US Navy's official Web site.

• "USS VIRGINIA (SSN 774)". Naval Vessel Register. NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office. April 9, 2007. http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/SSN774.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
• Mohl, Michael. "Virginia (SSN-774)". Submarine Photo Archive. NavSource Naval History. http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08774a.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 

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