The Navy will commission the newest Virginia-class fast-attack submarine, the future USS New Jersey (SSN 796), during an 11 a.m. EST ceremony Saturday, Sept. 14, at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Middletown Township, New Jersey.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will deliver the principal address. Additional speakers include Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro; Adm. William Houston, director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program; the Honorable Frank Pallone and Donald Norcross, U.S. Representatives from New Jersey; Jennifer Boykin, president, HII-Newport News Shipbuilding; and Larry Runkle, vice president, Virginia-Class Submarine Program, General Dynamics Electric Boat.
The submarine's sponsor is New Jersey resident Dr. Susan DiMarco, a retired dentist and wife of The Honorable Jeh Johnson, former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. As part of the commissioning ceremony tradition, she will give the order to "man our ship and bring her to life." With the hoisting of the colors and commission pennant, Secretary Del Toro will formally place the ship in active service.
The future USS New Jersey (SSN 796) is the third naval vessel named for the state. The first USS New Jersey was a battleship commissioned in 1906 as part of the Great White Fleet that expanded the Navy during World War I. The second, also a battleship, commissioned in 1943 and earned commendations for action in World War II and the Korea and Vietnam conflicts.
New Jersey is the fifth Block IV Virginia-class submarine and is the first in its class designed and built with modifications for a gender-integrated crew. Former Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the name of this nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine at a ceremony on May 24, 2015. Its keel was authenticated on March 25, 2019, and it was christened at Newport News Shipbuilding on Nov. 13, 2021. The shipbuilder delivered New Jersey on April 25 of this year.
Each Virginia-class submarine is 7,800-tons and 377 feet in length, has a beam of 34 feet, and can operate at more than 25 knots submerged. It is designed with a reactor plant that will not require refueling during the planned life of the ship, reducing lifecycle costs while increasing underway time. The submarine was built under a unique teaming agreement between General Dynamics Electric Boat and HII-Newport News Shipbuilding wherein both companies build certain portions of each submarine and then alternate deliveries. New Jersey (SSN 796) is the 11th Virginia class submarine delivered by HII-NNS. The commissioning ceremony will be streamed live at: https://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/33459/.
