USS Delaware (SSN-791)

USS Delaware (SSN-791) is a Virginia-class attack submarine built for the United States Navy. The contract to build her was awarded to Huntington Ingalls Industries in partnership with the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics in Newport News, Virginia on 22 December 2008. This boat is the eighth and final of the Block III submarines that feature a revised bow, including some technology from Ohio-class SSGNs.[11] Construction on Delaware began in September 2013.[12] She was christened on 20 October 2018.[3] She was commissioned administratively after the standard commissioning ceremony was cancelled due to public health concerns over the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.[5] Delaware was the first ever US ship commissioned while underwater.[13] The official commissioning ceremony occurred 2 April 2022 at the Port of Wilmington, Delaware.

For other ships with the same name, see USS Delaware.

USS Delaware (SSN-791)
Delaware underway during her builder's sea trials
History
United States
NameUSS Delaware
NamesakeState of Delaware
Awarded22 December 2008
BuilderNewport News Shipbuilding
Laid down30 April 2016[1]
Launched14 December 2018[2]
Sponsored byJill Biden
Christened20 October 2018[3]
Acquired25 October 2019[4]
Commissioned4 April 2020[5]
HomeportGroton, Connecticut
StatusActive Service
General characteristics
Class and typeVirginia-class attack submarine
Displacement7800 tons light, 7800 tons full
Length114.9 m (377 ft)
Beam10.3 m (34 ft)
Propulsion
  • 1 × S9G PWR nuclear reactor[6] 280,000 shp (210 MW), HEU 93%[7][8]
  • 2 × steam turbines 40,000 shp (30 MW)
  • 1 × single shaft pump-jet propulsor[6]
  • 1 × secondary propulsion motor[6]
Speed25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)[9]
RangeEssentially unlimited distance; 33 years
Test depthgreater than 800 ft (240 m)[10]
Complement134 officers and men[9]
External video
on Huntington Ingalls Industries Official YouTube Channel(in English)
video icon Delaware (SSN 791) Delivered to U.S. Navy on YouTube

Design

USS Delaware is 377 feet (115 m) long, 33 feet (10 m) wide, has a maximum draft of 32 feet (9.8 m) and displaces 7,800 tonnes (7,700 long tons; 8,600 short tons). She is propelled by nuclear power, has a single semi-pump jet style propulsor unit and a complement of 15 officers and 117 enlisted crew members.[14]

References
  1. "Newport News Shipbuilding Celebrates the Keel-Laying of Virginia-Class Submarine Delaware (SSN 791)" (Press release). Huntington Ingalls Industries. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  2. "Huntington Ingalls Industries Launches Virginia-Class Submarine Delaware (SSN 791)" (Press release). Huntington Ingalls Industries. 17 December 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  3. "Newport News Shipbuilding Division Christens Virginia-Class Submarine Delaware (SSN 791)" (Press release). Huntington Ingalls Industries. 20 October 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  4. "Newport News Shipbuilding Division Delivers Virginia-Class Submarine Delaware (SSN 791) to U.S. Navy" (Press release). Huntington Ingalls Industries. 28 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  5. "Attack Submarine USS Delaware Joins Fleet" (Press release). United States Navy. 4 April 2020. NNS200404-01. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  6. Ragheb, Magdi (9 September 2011), Tsvetkov, Pavel (ed.), "Nuclear Naval Propulsion", Nuclear Power - Deployment, Operation and Sustainability, ISBN 978-953-307-474-0
  7. "Validation of the Use of Low Enriched Uranium as a Replacement for Highly Enriched Uranium in US Submarine Reactors" (PDF). dspace.mit.edu. June 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  8. "US study of reactor and fuel types to enable naval reactors to shift from HEU fuel". fissilematerials.org. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  9. "The US Navy -- Fact File". Archived from the original on 3 July 2007. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
  10. GlobalSecurity.org
  11. "Virginia Block III: The Revised Bow". Retrieved 20 May 2008.
  12. White, Kirsten (21 November 2012). "Dr. Jill Biden Sponsors USS Delaware". The White House. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  13. "Navy Silently Commissions Nuclear Attack Boats USS Vermont, USS Delaware - USNI News". 20 April 2020.
  14. "Naval Vessel Register - DELAWARE (SSN 791)". www.nvr.navy.mil. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
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