USN Orders Eight More Virginia Class Attack Subs

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The U.S. Navy on 22 December reaffirmed the strategic need for a robust, adaptable
submarine force by awarding General Dynamics Electric Boat a contract valued
at $14 billion for the construction of eight Virginia-class submarines.

The multi-year contract allows Electric Boat and its teammate, Northrop
Grumman Shipbuilding, to proceed with the construction of one ship per year
in 2009 and 2010, and two ships per year from 2011 through 2013. The eighth
ship to be procured under this contract is scheduled for delivery in 2019.

The Virginia-class submarine is the first U.S. Navy warship designed from
the keel up for the full range of mission requirements in the post-Cold War
era, including anti-submarine and surface ship warfare; delivering special
operation forces; strike; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance;
irregular warfare; and mine warfare.

The contract immediately provides $2.4 billion to fund construction of SSN-
784, which has been named the “North Dakota”; advanced procurement for SSN-
785; funding to purchase materials, parts and components for multiple ships
at one time (SSN-785 through SSN-791, as yet unnamed), achieving significant
economies of scale; and funding for additional cost-reduction design changes
(known as Design For Affordability).

“This award is significant for our country, the U.S. Navy, our company and
the entire submarine industrial base,” said Electric Boat President John P.
Casey. “As we attain the production rate of two submarines per year, we will
have the stability required to further increase production efficiencies.
This will benefit the U.S. taxpayer, while providing the Navy a class of
nuclear submarines with the capabilities required to retain our nation’s
undersea superiority well into the 21st century.”

“In addition, at a time when the country has a challenging economic outlook,
this contract will provide good jobs not just in Connecticut, Rhode Island
and Virginia, but in thousands of communities across the country as our
vendors gear up for increased production on the Virginia class,” Casey said.

“Today’s contract award is an exciting moment for the entire team,” said
Matt Mulherin, sector vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman
Shipbuilding’s Newport News, Va. shipyard.  “It brings stability to the
submarine program, to our work force and to the shipbuilding supplier
industrial base for the next decade.  This achievement is also a result of
our shipbuilders’, suppliers’ and Navy partners’ successful efforts to
reduce cost, accelerate schedules and improve construction processes of the
previous Virginia-class boats.”

Electric Boat and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding already have delivered five
Virginia-class submarines to the Navy: USS Virginia (SSN-774), USS Texas
(SSN-775), USS Hawaii (SSN-776), USS North Carolina (SSN-777) and USS New
Hampshire (SSN-778).  Five additional submarines are under construction.

The contract comes on the heels of the shipbuilding team’s delivery of USS
New Hampshire in August eight months ahead of schedule and more than $60
million under target cost, performance that demonstrates the commitment to
reduce the cost and shrink construction schedules during the term of the
contract.

Virginia-class submarines displace 7,800 tons, with a hull length of 377
feet and a diameter of 34 feet. They are capable of speeds in excess of 25
knots and can dive to a depth greater than 800 feet, while carrying Mark 48
advanced capability torpedoes, Tomahawk land attack missiles and unmanned
underwater vehicles.

Navy’s Virginia Class Program Recognized for Acquisition Excellence

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The Virginia Class Program Office received the 2008 David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award during a Nov. 5 ceremony at Fort Belvoir, Va.

The award recognizes Department of Defense civilians and military organizations, groups or teams that demonstrate exemplary innovation and best acquisition practices. The David Packard Award is the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Technology and Logistics’ highest award. This marks the third time that the Virginia Class Program Office has earned the Excellence in Acquisition Award. The office earned previous honors in 1996 and 1998.

The Virginia Class Program was recognized for excelling in four specific award criteria: reducing life-cycle costs; making the acquisition system more efficient, responsive, and timely; integrating defense with the commercial base and practices; and promoting continuous improvement of the acquisition process.

The program office reduced life-cycle costs by delivering submarines ahead of schedule while concurrently applying best-value analysis to more than 150 discrete design changes and production improvements. By the end of 2007, construction performance initiatives achieved $89.9 million savings per ship, and design for cost reduction initiatives saved an additional $84.2 million per ship. Since 2005, the program has reduced its overall cost by $4 billion.

The acquisition process was made more efficient, responsive and timely by meeting warfighter needs at reduced costs while shortening acquisition lead time. The program removed the requirement for full-ship shock testing based on technical merit, a first for a major weapons system. Removing the requirement saved the Navy $72 million without endangering the ship’s war fighting capability.

The Virginia Class Program Office also successfully integrated defense with the commercial base and practices. In October 2007, the program office held a joint Navy-shipbuilder LEAN Six Sigma event to examine contracting value streams. This event eliminated redundancy and waste in contracting processes while enabling acquisition events to occur ahead of schedule.

Finally, the program office’s efforts to simplify the acquisition process met the criterion of promoting continuous acquisition process improvements. During fiscal year 2007, 33 process improvement events were conducted, resulting in an estimated realized savings of $60.6 million per ship.

“The Packard award is the highest honor that an acquisition program can receive, and I am thrilled to be able to accept this on behalf of the Virginia-class team,” commented Capt. Michael Jabaley, Virginia Class Program manager. “This award is in recognition of the great work accomplished by the program office, contractors and shipbuilders who are dedicated to providing the warfighter with the best possible submarine at the best cost.”

“Earning the David Packard Award speaks volumes to the quality and ability of Virginia Class Program Office, the government support structure and our shipbuilding partners,” said Rear Adm. William Hilarides, program executive officer for submarines. “Their hard work has saved the Navy billions of dollars and ensured an active and robust submarine force.”

The Virginia class has had a memorable year thus far. For the first time in the past 12 years, the Navy commissioned two submarines of the same class, USS North Carolina (SSN 777) on May 3 and USS New Hampshire (SSN 778) on Oct. 25. Further, USS Hawaii (SSN 776) completed the technical and operational testing required to certify the lockout trunk. USS Virginia (SSN 774) conducted initial operational testing and evaluation in multiple mission areas that included her launch of the first three Tomahawk cruise missiles by the class in August. The Virginia-class program will end the year by christening its sixth ship, New Mexico (SSN 779) on Dec. 13 at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va.

(NNS)

Virginia-Class Boats Sailing Into ActionOut of the nine fast-attack boats underway in the Atlantic Ocean, four of them are Virginia-class submarines.

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Out of the nine fast-attack boats underway in the Atlantic Ocean, four of them are Virginia-class submarines.

USS Virginia (SSN 774), USS Texas (SSN 775), USS North Carolina (SSN 777) and Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) New Hampshire (SSN 778) are all currently conducting exercises and tests off the Atlantic coast.

USS Hawaii (SSN 776), the first Virginia-class boat to deploy, is currently at General Dynamics Electric Boat conducting a post-shakedown availability, an industrial activity availability assigned to correct deficiencies found during the shakedown cruise or to accomplish other authorized improvements.

“Having three of the four operational Virginia-class boats and PCU New Hampshire at sea is a reflection of the hard work, dedication and team work that is our submarine force,” said Capt. Robert Clark, Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 4 commodore. “This will become a common occurrence in the future, but today it’s the crowning achievement of a huge cast of people who made it possible.”

SUBRON 4 has become known as the “Virginia-class Center of Excellence.” They are the parent squadron to every Virginia-class boats’ transition to become an operational fleet unit.

“It’s a real feather in the cap of the submarine force to be able to take a new design from concept through real employment in such a short time and in such an efficient and effective manner,” said Clark.

Virginia-class attack submarines provide the Navy with the capabilities required to maintain the nation’s undersea supremacy well into the 21st century. They will have improved stealth, sophisticated surveillance capabilities and special warfare enhancements that will enable them to meet the Navy’s multi-mission requirements.

James Stockman