US Navy's 27th Virginia-class attack submarine formally named
The US Navy's 27th Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine was christened in a ceremony at Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) facilities in Virginia on Saturday, December 7.
Like its sisters, the future USS Arkansas will be capable of supporting multiple mission areas and can operate at speeds of more than 25 knots for months at a time. The submarine is designed to carry out core missions including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, delivery of special operations forces, strike warfare, irregular warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and mine warfare.
The submarine is 377 feet (114 metres) long and 34 feet (10.3 metres) wide. It will be able to dive to depths greater than 800 feet (243 metres).
The Virginia-class submarines were conceived as a less expensive alternative to the Seawolf-class boats, which were designed during the Cold War era, and are replacing older Los Angeles-class submarines. Construction of the Virginia-class is being undertaken by NNS as part of the teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat.