US Navy to Christen Two Virginia-class Nuclear Attack Submarines

The United States Navy will christen two nuclear-propelled attack submarines of the Virginia class, 2 in separate ceremonies on Saturday.

The submarines, USS Delaware (SSN 791) and USS Vermont (SSN 792) are Virginia-class attack submarines whose construction began in 2013 and 2014 respectively and are scheduled to be delivered to the Navy next year.

While the USS Delaware has been built by Newport News Shipbuilding, the USS Vermont has been built by General Dynamics Electric Boat.

A US DoD press release said Thursday: The Navy will christen the attack submarine, the future USS Delaware (SSN 791), during a 10 a.m. EDT ceremony Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, in Newport News, Virginia.

The future USS Delaware is the 18th Virginia-class attack submarine and the eighth and final Virginia-class Block III submarine. The ship’s construction began in September 2013 and will deliver in 2019.

The Navy will christen its newest attack submarine, the future USS Vermont (SSN 792), during an 11 a.m. EDT ceremony Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut.

The future USS Vermont is the 19th Virginia-class attack submarine and the first of ten Virginia-class Block IV submarines. The ship’s construction began in May 2014 and it will deliver in the fall of 2019.

Virginia-class submarines are built to operate in the world's littoral and deep waters while conducting anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface ship warfare; strike warfare; special operation forces support; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; irregular warfare; and mine warfare missions.

Their inherent stealth, endurance, mobility and firepower directly enable them to support five of the six maritime strategy core capabilities – sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security and deterrence.