The U.S. Navy commissioned the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Montana (SSN 794) in a traditional ceremony held Saturday, June 25, at Naval Station Norfolk. Under Secretary of the Navy Erik K. Raven, highlighted the Montana’s capabilities and the importance of its crew in maintaining undersea dominance for the fleet. Sally Jewell, former Secretary of the United States Department of Interior, is the ship sponsor. During Saturday’s commissioning event, Ms. Jewell gave the crew the traditional order to “man our ship and bring her to life,” after which Montana’s Sailors ceremonially ran aboard the submarine.
“When USS Montana joins that fleet, she will add next generation of stealth, surveillance, and special warfare capabilities to our Joint Force, and extend our integrated deterrence capabilities. his powerful boat and her crew will protect our sea lanes, strengthen our maritime dominance, and contribute to strengthening our relationships with our allies and partners. This powerful boat and her crew will protect our sea lanes, strengthen our maritime dominance, and contribute to strengthening our relationships with our allies and partners. USS Montana is proof of what our civilian, contractor and military teams can accomplish together,” said Raven.
The future USS Montana (SSN 794) honors the Treasure State. It will be the second commissioned warship bearing the name. The first USS Montana (ACR-13), an armored cruiser, was also built at Newport News Shipbuilding and commissioned July 1908. It served in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, landed Marines during unrest in Haiti in 1914 and escorted convoys during World War I. It was decommissioned in 1921. Montana was previously christened in a traditional ceremony at Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia on Sept. 12, 2020. Montana is the third of the Block IV Virginia-class submarines to be delivered.
Block IV Virginia-class submarines incorporate design changes focused on reduced total ownership cost. By making these smaller-scale design changes to increase the component-level lifecycle of the submarine, the Navy will increase the periodicity between depot maintenance availabilities and increase the number of deployments. Fast-attack submarines are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities – sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security and deterrence. They are designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, and mine warfare.
