US Navy commissions Virginia-class sub USS Colorado

The US Navy has commissioned its 15th Virginia-class fast attack submarine USS Colorado at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut.

The fifth Block III boat of the class, SSN 788 is the fourth US Navy vessel named to honour the US state of Colorado.

The 114.9-metre by 10.3-metre Colorado operates at more than 25 knots submerged.

The 7,800-tonne Colorado is designed for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, delivery of Special Operations Forces (SOF), strike warfare, irregular warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and mine warfare.

She is a part of the Virginia-class’ third, or Block III, contract, in which the navy redesigned about 20 per cent of the ship to reduce acquisition costs.

Virginia-class submarines are being built under a teaming arrangement between General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News.