Electric Boat (EB) delivered the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Oregon (SSN-793) to the U.S. Navy on February 26, 2022. Oregon is the 20th submarine of the Virginia Class, which provides the Navy with the capabilities required to retain undersea dominance well into the 21st century. With the other ships of the class, Oregon represents a revolution in submarine design, construction and mission capability. This versatile and powerful vessel – unobtrusive, non-provocative and connected with land, air, sea and space-based assets – will maximize the contribution the U.S. submarine force makes to national security.
«Today is a great day for the Oregon, a great day for the Navy and a great day for Electric Boat», said Pete DiNapoli, ship manager of USS Oregon (SSN-793) at her delivery ceremony on February 28. DiNapoli addressed the shipbuilders of Electric Boat, noting their excellent performance leading up to the significant achievement of delivering EB’s latest contribution to national security. «This journey was not easy, and each and every one of you rose up to the challenge and made it look easy. Shipbuilding is a big team sport, and I thank you all for your hard work».
Stan Gwudz, director of the Virginia program and ship’s management, also offered his acknowledgement of the EB team. «I couldn’t be more proud to be part of a team that makes our Navy the best in the world», said Gwudz.
Sea trials for Oregon, directed by U.S. Navy Admiral Frank Caldwell Jr., director – Naval Nuclear Propulsion, began in December 2021. The trials included a range of submarine and propulsion-plant operations, submerging for the first time, and high-speed runs on and below the surface to demonstrate that the ship’s propulsion plant is fully mission-capable.
«I was on that boat, and I wish every one of you, and really every American, could see what I see on those boats», said Electric Boat President Kevin Graney following Oregon’s Alpha trials. «It is eye-watering, unsurpassed technology. It is sailors who are at the pointy end of the spear and are absolute masters at submarine warfare. It is EB people fiercely proud of what they’ve built».
The Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) gave the Oregon a score of 95 following her final INSURV trial, continuing the trend of high performance on Virginia-class new construction. Oregon is commanded by Commander Lacy Lodmell.
Oregon is the second of the 10-ship group of Virginia-class submarines known as the Block IV series, continuing a whole new level of capability for the Virginia Class. Increased stealth, improved surveillance and design changes that increase the component-level lifecycle of the submarine and reduce total ownership cost are the hallmarks of this newest attack submarine. By making these smaller-scale design changes to increase the component-level lifecycle of the submarine, the Navy will increase the periodicity between depot maintenance abilities and increase the number of deployments. Blocks I-III of Virginia-class submarines are planned to undergo four depot maintenance availabilities and conduct 14 deployments, while Block IV design changes are intended to reduce these planned availabilities by one to three, increasing deployments to 15.
Virginia-class submarines displace 7,835 tons, with a hull length of 377 feet/114.8 m and a diameter of 34 feet/10.3632 m. They are capable of speeds in excess of 25 knots and can dive to a depth greater than 800 feet/244 m, while carrying Mark-48 advanced capability torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles.
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 IV
| Ship | Yard | Christening | Commissioned | Homeport |
| SSN-792 Vermont | EB | 10-20-18 | 04-18-20 | Groton, Connecticut |
| SSN-793 Oregon | EB | 10-05-19 | ||
| SSN-794 Montana | NNS | 09-12-20 | ||
| SSN-795 Hyman G. Rickover | EB | 07-31-21 | ||
| SSN-796 New Jersey | NNS | 11-13-21 | ||
| SSN-797 Iowa | EB | Under Construction | ||
| SSN-798 Massachusetts | NNS | Under Construction | ||
| SSN-799 Idaho | EB | Under Construction | ||
| SSN-800 Arkansas | NNS | Under Construction | ||
| SSN-801 Utah | EB | Under Construction |