General Dynamics has turned over the 24th Virginia-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine to the US Navy.
The USS Iowa’s (SSN 797) transfer will be followed by a series of evaluations on the vessel and its future crew in preparation for induction into active service.
It counts as the 13th platform developed by General Dynamics for the program in parallel with half of the Virginia fleet procured from HII Newport News Shipbuilding.
The contract for the Iowa’s development and nine additional submarines was awarded to the General Dynamics and HII consortium in 2014. It is valued at around $17.8 billion.
Its keel was laid in 2019, while the launch of the system was completed four years later.
The Iowa is the sixth vessel to receive the Virginia fleet’s Block IV configuration, which incorporates 12 vertical launch systems for Tomahawk cruise missiles and four additional torpedo tubes for Mk-48 or UGM-84 Harpoon warheads.
“The Virginia-class submarine represents a Navy and industry commitment to deliver warfighting excellence to the fleet,” Virginia Class Submarine Program Manager Capt. Mike Hollenbach stated during the Iowa’s handover in late December.
“Iowa is the second Virginia-class submarine delivered this year. With each delivery, the Navy continues to strengthen our Nation’s undersea advantage.”
US Navy’s Virginia Submarine
The Virginia system was proposed by the US Department of Defense to replace the US Navy’s aging Los Angeles-class submarines.
The new fleet is expected to operate through the 2070s, securing America’s posture and surface fleet support domestically and abroad for decades.
A Virginia vessel runs with a 280,000-horsepower nuclear reactor, steam turbines, and main and secondary propulsion.
It can sail up to 46 kilometers (29 miles) per hour and reach depths up to 800 feet (240 meters).
