The U.S. Navy commissioned USS Oregon (SSN-793), the newest Virginia-class fast attack submarine, during an 11 a.m. EDT ceremony on Saturday, May 28, at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut.
The USS Oregon (SSN-793) is the third U.S. Navy ship launched to bear the name Oregon, but is the first in more than a century. The first was a brig in service from 1841 to 1845. The second was an Indiana-class battleship commissioned in 1896, serving in the Spanish-American War, and ultimately decommissioned for the final time in 1919.
The principal speaker is Governor Katie Brown of Oregon. Additional speakers include U.S. Representative Joe Courtney of Connecticut’s 2nd District; Mr. Tommy Ross, performing the duties of assistant secretary of the U.S. Navy for research, development, and acquisition; Admiral James Caldwell, director, naval nuclear propulsion program; and Mr. Kevin Graney, president of General Dynamics Electric Boat.
The submarine’s sponsor is Dana L. Richardson, wife of former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson and a native of Corvallis, Oregon. Oregon was christened at General Dynamics Corp.’s Electric Boat shipyard in Groton on October 5, 2019. Mrs. Richardson gave the order to «man our ship and bring her to life».
«There is no doubt the importance this boat, named after the great state of Oregon, will play in the future of our nation’s security», said Secretary of the U.S. Navy Carlos Del Toro. «This crew is vital to our undersea mission, and I look forward to all of their successes».
USS Oregon (SSN-793) is the second Block IV Virginia-class submarine to enter service, designed to carry out the core missions of the submarine force: anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; delivery of special operations forces; strike warfare; irregular warfare; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; and mine warfare. These capabilities allow the submarine force to operate anywhere, at any time, and contribute to regional stability and the preservation of future peace.
Oregon is 377 feet/114.8 m long, has a 34-foot/10.4-meter beam, and will be able to dive to depths greater than 800 feet/244 m and operate at speeds in excess of 25 knots/28+ mph/46.3+ km/h submerged. It has a crew of approximately 136 Navy personnel.
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 | 05-28-22 | Groton, Connecticut |
| 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 |