Navy

Initial Sea Trials

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division has successfully completed the initial sea trials on the newest Virginia-class submarine, USS Indiana (SSN-789).

The Virginia-class submarine USS Indiana (SSN-789) transits the Chesapeake Bay during its first set of sea trials, referred to as alpha trials (Photo by Matt Hildreth/HII)
The Virginia-class submarine USS Indiana (SSN-789) transits the Chesapeake Bay during its first set of sea trials, referred to as alpha trials (Photo by Matt Hildreth/HII)

The initial round of sea trials, known as alpha trials, provides an opportunity to test all systems and components. It includes submerging for the first time and high-speed maneuvers while on the surface and submerged.

«Sea trials is a significant milestone and the first major test of submarine’s capabilities at sea», said Dave Bolcar, Newport News’ vice president of submarine construction. «We are pleased with how Indiana performed and look forward to continuing our testing program before we deliver the boat to the U.S. Navy later this year».

Construction of Indiana began in 2012. The boat – the 16th Virginia-class submarine built as part of the teaming partnership with General Dynamics Electric Boat – was christened in April 2017.

The submarine USS Indiana (SSN-789) departs for its first set of sea trials with two HII-built aircraft carriers visible in the distance at Norfolk Naval Station (Photo by John Whalen/HII)
The submarine USS Indiana (SSN-789) departs for its first set of sea trials with two HII-built aircraft carriers visible in the distance at Norfolk Naval Station (Photo by John Whalen/HII)

 

General Characteristics

Builder General Dynamics Electric Boat Division and Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. – Newport News Shipbuilding
Date Deployed October 3, 2004
Propulsion One GE PWR S9G* nuclear reactor, two turbines, one shaft; 40,000 hp/30 MW
Length 377 feet/114.8 m
Beam 33 feet/10.0584 m
Hull Diameter 34 feet/10.3632 m
Displacement Approximately 7,800 tons/7,925 metric tons submerged
Speed 25+ knots/28+ mph/46.3+ km/h
Diving Depth 800+ feet/244+ m
Crew 132: 15 officers; 117 enlisted
Armament: Tomahawk missiles Two 87-in/2.2 m Virginia Payload Tubes (VPTs), each capable of launching 6 Tomahawk cruise missiles
Armament: MK-48 ADCAP (Advanced Capability) Mod 7 heavyweight torpedoes 4 torpedo tubes
Weapons MK-60 CAPTOR (Encapsulated Torpedo) mines, advanced mobile mines and UUVs (Unmanned Underwater Vehicles)

* – Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories

 

Nuclear Submarine Lineup

 

Block III

Ship Yard Christening Commissioned Homeport
SSN-784 North Dakota EB 11-2-13 10-25-14 Groton, Connecticut
SSN-785 John Warner NNS 09-06-14 08-01-15 Norfolk, Virginia
SSN-786 Illinois EB 10-10-15 10-29-16 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
SSN-787 Washington NNS 03-05-16 10-07-17 Norfolk, Virginia
SSN-788 Colorado EB 12-03-16 03-17-18
SSN-789 Indiana NNS 04-29-17
SSN-790 South Dakota EB Under Construction
SSN-791 Delaware NNS Under Construction

 

U.S. Navy Virginia class submarine USS Indiana (SSN-789) completes first sea trials