U.S. Navy. Virginia-class fast attack submarine USS New Jersey (SSN 796) - YouTube - Mil 3010

USS New Jersey,a Block IV Virginia-class submarine,is the third U.S. Navy vessel named for the State of New Jersey.The USS New Jersey (SSN 796) is the first U.S. Navy attack submarine designed and constructed for a mixed gender crew.The Virginia-class,or SSN 794 class,is the newest class of nuclear powered fast attack submarines in service with the U.S. Navy.*General Dynamics Electric Boat (GD) is the prime contractor and lead boatyard for the Virginia-class submarine,with Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding (HII) in a secondary role.*Text by Mil 3010 and edited and augmented by Andrew Taylor*The Virginia-class attack submarine has been chosen as the platform for the SLCM-N programme.

NATO Maritime Forces:U.S. Navy Developing a Sea-Launched Tactical Nuclear Weapon

According to National Defense,a defence industry mouthpiece,Congress signed a letter in March 2024 that chose the Navy's Strategic Systems Program Office as the organisation that will design,develop,build and deploy a sea-launched nuclear cruise missile (SLCM-N).The project was first recommended by the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review.The Undersecretary of Defense,William LaPlante,directed the Navy to establish the SLCM-N programme office and to begin the analysis phase.In April 2024,LaPlante said the Nuclear Weapons Council will lead a review of options to execute the SLCM-N programme:in a manner that balances cost,deterrence value and risk to the nuclear modernisation programme of record and the Joint Force.*VADM Johnny Wolfe,director of Strategic Systems Programs,told reporters at the Naval Submarine League's Annual Symposium and Industry Update that the programme office has been stood up and the next step is:understanding what is the trade space and what does the schedule look like to get the acquisition decisions,to the milestones and all that.*Trade studies for the programme have already started and:we're going to continue the dialogue with Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD),we're going to continue the dialogue with the Hill,as we start to understand what would a program look like?How are we going to move forward?And quite frankly...it's a very aggressive timeline.Congressional language mandates an initial operational capability (IOC) by 2034.*The Navy had deployed sea-launched tactical nuclear weapons in the Cold War era,32 years ago,using the Tomahawk cruise missile for land attack scenarios (TLAM).The new weapon is to be deployed on Virginia-class attack submarines.VADM Wolfe said the programme has about 30 people and is trying to ramp up.In fiscal 2024,the National Defense Authorization Act directed the executive branch to ensure Intial Operational Capability (IOC) for SLCM-N.The SLCM-N is to enhance deterrence and assure Allies.The Navy has submitted a Request For Information (RFI) to prospective contractors.The purpose of an RFI is to get written information about the capabilities of different suppliers and prepare suppliers for an upcoming competition by establishing a strategy and building a database.*The initiative is to provide a non-strategic regional presence and offer a flexible and low-yield option to the president.Only the president can direct the use of nuclear weapons by the U.S. Armed Forces,through plans like OPLAN 8010-12.The president has unilateral authority as commander-in-chief to order that nuclear weapons be used for any reason at any time.*It is U.S. Navy policy not to confirm or deny the presence of nuclear weapons on its vessels.

Pacific Perspective:Australian Government Chooses BAE Systems and ASC Pty Ltd to Build New Fleet of Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarines

As part of the Australia/UK/US defence pact (AUKUS),contractors had to be chosen to execute Australia's plan for a new fleet of nuclear-powered attack submarines.Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and UK Defence Minister Grant Shapps announced the news in Australia.It is the next step by Australia on the path to build and operate its own submarines,according to BAE Systems.Under the complex agreement,Australia and the UK will operate a common submarine in the future,incorporating technology from Australia,the UK and the US,based on the nextgen design led by BAE.BAE Systems and ASC Pty Ltd,a unit of the Australian Defence Force,will now bring together their complimentary skills,expertise and capabilities under a collaborative arrangement in Australia,leading to the establishment of a long-term,incorporated Joint Venture.Said Charles Woburn,BAE Systems Chief Executive:We're extremely proud of our role in the delivery of this vitally important tri-nation submarine programme.Our selection as a Partner in Australia,along with ASC,recognises our role as the UK's long-term design and build Partner and as a key player in Australia's maritime enterprise and wider defence landscape.We look forward to working with ASC to develop an enduring,sovereign nuclear-powered submarine building capacity for Australia.*SSN-AUKUS will be the largest,most powerful and advanced attack submarines the Royal Navy has ever operated and will start to replace the Astute class,which BAE Systems is building at its site in Barrow-in-Furness in Northwest England from the late 2030s.Australia expects to receive its first SSN-AUKUS submarine in the early 2040s.BAE Systems is also designing and building the UK's next generation nuclear deterrent submarine,incorporating US technology,Dreadnought,with construction underway on the first three of four new boats.*In Australia,BAE Systems has a long and proud heritage over 70 years,providing advanced defence technology from air amd maritime sustainment to shipbuilding,protecting both people and national security,while keeping critical information and infrastructure secure.*For its part,ASC will be the prime contractor for the sustainment of visiting US and UK submarines;Australia's sovereign Virginia class nuclear-powered attack submarines;and the new SSN-AUKUS submarines administered in Western Australia;but actually built at Naval Shipyard Osborne,South Australia.Under the SSN-AUKUS programme,there will be a rotational presence of US and UK nuclear-powered attack submarines,with sustainment services provided at Garden Island,Western Australia.In the early 2030s,Australia will acquire US-built Virginia class nuclear-powered attack submarines.Finally,in the early 2040s,the first SSN-AUKUS submarines will be delivered.ASC will provide sustainment,including short-term,medium,and deep-cycle maintenance.ASC is a government owned business enterprise involved with Australian naval shipbuilding as a unit of the Australian Defence Force,based at Naval Shipyard Osborne,South Australia.*BAE Systems PLC (OTCM:BAESY),Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)

Pacific Perspective:AUKUS Defence Alliance Being Phased-In

On 21 September 2021,the AUKUS Defence Alliance was established by President Joseph R. Biden and then Prime Ministers Boris Johnson of the UK and Scott Morrison of Australia.The Alliance was founded to enhance the collective security of the signatories in the Indo-Pacific Region.It provided for the sharing of nuclear propulsion information with Australia by the UK and the US for the purpose of enabling Australia to procure and operate nuclear powered fast attack submarines;the development of hypersonic and counter-hypersonic technologies;as well as cyber capabilities including Artificial Intelligence;quantum technologies;and additional undersea capabilities.* A major step in the nuclear propulsion sharing activity has been inititiated with the education and graduation of three Royal Australian Navy (RAN) officers from Naval Nuclear Power Training Command and Nuclear Power School in Charleston,South Carolina.They have taken an important step toward becoming qualified to operate naval nuclear reactors on submarines and aircraft carriers.Graduating were RAN officers Lt.Cmdr.James Heydon,Lt.Cmdr.Adam Klyne,and Lt.William Hall.They will continue their education on the Navy's moored training ship,and then in Connecticut more training for qualification as officers aboard Virginia-class nuclear powered fast attack submarines.Australia intends to procure at least three of the Virginia-class submarines,with an option for two more.The Virginia-class submarines will fill the gap left by Australia's retirement of its Collins-class diesel-electric submarines.The US and the UK will also design the SSN(R) nuclear powered fast attack submarine for the RAN.* The Virginia-class submarines are built by a partnership of Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat.* Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII),General Dynamics (GD)

U.S. Navy Virginia-class Fast Attack Submarine Virtual Tour

Progress Made on New Ballistic Missile Submarine;President Signs Defense Spending Bill

Congress has established a separate account for the Ohio-class Replacement Program.The account will contain funds for the US Navy's new Trident missile submarine that will replace the Ohio-class boats,which are under US Strategic Command as part of the nation's nuclear deterrent triad,along with land-based strategic bombers and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles.The purpose of having a separate account is to take the pressure off the Navy's regular shipbuilding account,which must fund ongoing programs such as destroyers,littoral combat ships,aircraft carriers and attack submarines.This will allow the Navy to achieve its goal of a 300-ship combat force;it has 280 ships today.
The ORP account will include a transfer of excess Pentagon funds totaling 3.5 billion,plus a 1.3 billion appropriation from the 2015 Defense Spending Bill that President Obama just signed into law last Friday.The bill also forbids the retirement of the A-10 Warthog ground attack aircraft;forbids the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility;permits the awarding of Purple Heart medals to survivors of the November 2009 Fort Hood,Texas massacre by Army psychiatrist Nidal Hassan,who killed 13 and wounded more than 30 in support of Islamist militants;provides core Pentagon funding of 521.3 billion and 63.7 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan;plus funds for the training and equipping of moderate Syrian rebels and 5 billion for Iraqi security forces.*
The 12 ORP submarines will be procured from 2021-2035 at a Congressional Budget Office estimate of 7.7 billion per boat.The entire project will run about 70 billion dollars,according to the Navy estimate of 5 billion per submarine,which is lower than the CBO's.By the CBO's reckoning,the whole program would cost 92.4 billion.The submarines are intended to have a lifespan of 42 years-the same as the Ohio-class.The submarines will be the largest in the Navy's history at 560 feet long.They will be armed with 16 of the same Trident D-5 missiles the Ohio-class uses,fired from 45-foot tubes.A common missile compartment will be shared with the United Kingdom for its four new Trident D-5 submarines,each with 12 firing tubes.
The ORP submarines will enter service in 2031 and serve through 2085,carrying about 70% of the US strategic nuclear warhead arsenal in a stealthy,survivable manner.General Dynamic's Electric Boat division is currently working on their early engineering,design and prototyping at its Groton,Connecticut and Quonset Point,Rhode Island facilities.*
The ORP submarine will feature a quieter,direct propulsion drive system;advanced sound-absorbing coating;advanced sensing technologies;and the same communications system,antennae and mast as the current Virginia-class attack submarine.*
General Dynamics(GD)