The Ship-Submarine Recycling Program (SRP) is the process that the United States Navy uses to dispose of decommissioned nuclear vessels. SRP takes place only at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) in Bremerton, Washington, but the preparations can begin elsewhere.
The Virginia class, also known as the SSN-774 class, is a class of nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarines, in service in the United States Navy. Designed by General Dynamics Electric Boat (EB) and Huntington Ingalls Industries, the Virginia class is the United States Navy's latest submarine model, which incorporates the latest in stealth, intelligence gathering, and weapons systems technology.
USS Virginia (SSN-774) is a nuclear powered cruise missile attack submarine and the lead ship of her class, currently serving in the United States Navy (USN). She is the tenth vessel of the Navy to be named for the Commonwealth of Virginia, as well as the second US Navy attack submarine to be named after a state, a pattern that is common throughout her class.
USS New Hampshire (SSN-778), a Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, is the fourth vessel of the United States Navy to be named for the state of New Hampshire. She is the first of the Virginia-class Block-II submarines to enter service. Her name was awarded to the submarine after a letter-writing campaign by the third-graders from Garrison Elementary School and sixth graders from Dover Middle School in Dover to their members of Congress, the state governor, and the Secretary of the Navy.
United States ship naming conventions for the U.S. Navy were established by congressional action at least as early as 1862. Title 13, section 1531, of the U.S. Code, enacted in that year, reads, in part,
The vessels of the Navy shall be named by the Secretary of the Navy under direction of the President according to the following rule: Sailing-vessels of the first class shall be named after the States of the Union, those of the second class after the rivers, those of the third class after the principal cities and towns and those of the fourth class as the President may direct.
USS Washington (SSN-787) is a Virginia-class nuclear powered attack submarine of the United States Navy. The contract to build her was awarded to Huntington Ingalls Industries in partnership with the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics in Newport News, Virginia, on 22 December 2008. This boat is the fourth of the Block III submarines which will feature a revised bow, including some technology from Ohio-class SSGNs. Construction began on 2 September 2011 at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia. On 13 April 2012, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, announced SSN-787 would be named after the State of Washington, which was celebrated during a naming ceremony in Seattle on 7 February 2013. The Navy christened Washington on 5 March 2016, during a ceremony at Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia.
USS Colorado (SSN-788) is a nuclear powered United States Navy Virginia-class attack submarine, named for the State of Colorado. She is the fifteenth of her class and fifth of the significantly redesigned Block III, including a revised bow and VLS technology from the Ohio class of guided missile submarines. She was constructed by Huntington Ingalls Industries in partnership with the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics in Newport News, Virginia, with the initial contract awarded on 22 December 2008.
USS Indiana (SSN-789) is a nuclear powered United States Navy Virginia-class attack submarine, named for the State of Indiana. She is the sixteenth of her class and sixth of the significantly redesigned Block III, including a revised bow and VLS technology from the Ohio-class of guided missile submarines. Indiana was constructed by Huntington Ingalls Industries in partnership with the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics in Newport News, Virginia, with the initial contract awarded on 22 December 2008. Her keel was laid on 16 May 2015 and she was launched on 9 June 2017. The boat was christened on 29 April 2017 and sponsored by Diane Donald, wife of Admiral Kirkland H. Donald, USN (ret). She was commissioned on 29 September 2018 at Port Canaveral, Florida.
The Columbia-class submarine is an upcoming class of nuclear submarines designed to replace the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines in the United States Navy. The first submarine began construction on 1 October 2020, and is scheduled to enter service in 2031.
Oregon is a nuclear powered attack submarine in the United States Navy. She is to be the fourth vessel to carry the name Oregon, the 33rd state of US, and she will be the 20th Virginia-class submarine. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced her name on 10 October 2014 at a ceremony hosted at the Battleship Oregon Memorial in Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon.
USS Vermont (SSN-792) is a Virginia-class nuclear powered attack submarine in the United States Navy. She is the 19th boat of the class and the third vessel of the Navy to be named for the U.S. state of Vermont. Then Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, announced her name on 18 September 2014.
USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-795), will be a Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the United States Navy and the second such boat commemorating Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, pioneer of the nuclear navy. The boat's sponsor is Darleen Greenert, wife of then Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jonathan Greenert. Both the boat's name and her sponsor were announced by the Secretary of the Navy at a ceremony at the Washington Navy Yard on 9 January 2015. Hyman G. Rickover's christening occurred on 31 July 2021.
Montana (SSN-794) is a Virginia-class submarine of the United States Navy. She will honor the U.S. State of Montana. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the name on 3 September 2015 at a ceremony hosted in Billings, Montana with U.S. Senator Jon Tester.
Oklahoma (SSN-802) will be a Virginia-class nuclear powered attack submarine in the United States Navy. She is to be the second vessel named for the state of Oklahoma, and the first to carry the name since the loss of the battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37) during the attack on Pearl Harbor, which lead to the US involvement in World War II. Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly announced the name on 24 December 2019, in a press release. Oklahoma, first of the Virginia-class Block V boats, was authorized for construction on 2 December 2019.
Arizona (SSN-803), a Block V Virginia-class submarine, will be the fourth United States Navy vessel named for the state of Arizona, and the first vessel to carry the name since the loss of the USS Arizona (BB-39) during the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, at the start of the US' involvement in World War II. Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly announced the name on 24 December 2019, in a press release. Arizona was authorized for construction on 2 December 2019.
Barb (SSN-804) will be a Block 5 Virginia-class submarine with third United States Navy vessel named for the barb fish. She will also be the first Virginia-class submarine to be named after an aquatic animal and the first US Navy submarine to be named after an aquatic animal in more than 30 years. Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braithwaite officially announced the name on 13 October 2020, in a ceremony unveiling plans to construct a new National Museum of the United States Navy in Washington, D.C. The change in naming convention is in reference to the World War II era submarine USS Barb (SS-220), which achieved one of the most outstanding combat records in US Navy history, specifically under the command of Commander Eugene B. Fluckey who was awarded the Medal of Honor while Barb received the Presidential Unit Citation.
USS Tang (SSN-805) will be a nuclear-powered, Virginia-class attack submarine in the United States Navy. She will also be third United States Navy vessel with the name tang, a large family of tropical fish. Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braithwaite announced in a 17 November 2020 press release that the submarine will be named USS Tang, in honor of a storied WWII submarine. This is the second of four new classmates named in honor of WWII submarines with very successful combat records. Ordered on 2 December 2019, she is the fourth of the Block V boats, the first boats of the class to include the Virginia Payload Module.
United States