The U.S. Navy commissioned USS Vermont (SSN 792), the 19th Virginia-class attack submarine, April 18. Although the traditional public commissioning ceremony was canceled due to public health restrictions on large public gatherings, the U.S. Navy commissioned USS Vermont administratively and transitioned the boat to normal operations. USS Vermont was delivered to the United States Navy on April 17, 2020. Meanwhile, the Navy is looking at a future opportunity to commemorate the special event with the ship’s sponsor, crew and commissioning committee.
USS Vermont (SSN-792) is the third U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name of the Green Mountain State. The first Vermont was one of nine 74-gun warships authorized by Congress in 1816. The second Vermont, Battleship No. 20, was commissioned in 1907 and first deployed in December that year as part of the “Great White Fleet.” Vermont is a flexible, multi-mission platform designed to carry out the seven core competencies of the submarine force: anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; delivery of special operations forces; strike warfare; irregular warfare; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and mine warfare.
Today, @gdelectricboat delivered the nuclear-powered attack submarine Vermont (SSN 792) to the U.S. Navy. Vermont is the 19th submarine of the Virginia Class, which provides the Navy with the capabilities required to retain undersea dominance well into the 21st century. #ssn792 pic.twitter.com/uxUR6YloVD
— GD Electric Boat (@GDElectricBoat) April 17, 2020
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced her name on September 18, 2014. The U.S. Navy awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat the contract to construct ten Block IV Virginia-class submarines for $17.6 billion on April 28, 2014. Construction on Vermont commenced in May 2014 with the tenth ship scheduled for delivery in 2023.On October 20, 2018, Vermont was christened with a bottle of Vermont sparkling apple wine during a ceremony held at the Electric Boat facility in Groton, Connecticut. Former deputy assistant secretary of the Navy Gloria Valdez served as the ship’s sponsor. Phil Scott, Governor of Vermont, and United States Congressman Peter Welch were on hand for the occasion.
The submarine is 377 feet long, has a 34-foot beam, and will be able to dive to depths greater than 800 feet and operate at speeds in excess of 25 knots submerged. The boat’s construction began in May 2014, and it will provide the Navy the capabilities required to maintain the nation’s undersea superiority well into the 21st century. Vermont is the first the first of 10 Virginia-class Block IV submarines. Block IV submarines incorporate design changes to reduce total ownership cost, as well as allow the Navy to increase the time between maintenance stops and the number of deployments.
