USS ''Delaware'' (SSN-791) is a

attack submarine An attack submarine or hunter-killer submarine is a submarine specifically designed for the purpose of attacking and sinking other submarines, surface combatants and merchant vessels. In the Soviet and Russian navies they were and are called "mul ...

built for the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

. The contract to build her was awarded to

Huntington Ingalls Industries HII (formerly Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.) is the largest military shipbuilding company in the United States as well as a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. HII, ranked No. 371 on the Fortune 500, w ...

in partnership with the

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division of

General Dynamics General Dynamics Corporation (GD) is an American publicly traded, aerospace and defense corporation headquartered in Reston, Virginia. As of 2020, it was the fifth-largest defense contractor in the world by arms sales, and 5th largest in the Uni ...

Newport News, Virginia Newport News () is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the 5th most populous city in Virginia and 140th most populous city in the Uni ...

on 22 December 2008. This boat is the eighth and final of the Block III submarines that feature a revised bow, including some technology from SSGNs. Construction on ''Delaware'' began in September 2013. She was christened on 20 October 2018. She was commissioned administratively after the standard commissioning ceremony was cancelled due to public health concerns over the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. ''Delaware'' was the first ever US ship commissioned while underwater. The official commissioning ceremony occurred 2 April 2022 at the Port of Wilmington, Delaware.

Design

USS ''Delaware'' is long, wide, has a maximum draft of and displaces . She is propelled by

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, has a single semi- pump jet style propulsor unit and a complement of 15 officers and 117 enlisted crew members.

References

External links

* Virginia-class submarines Nuclear submarines of the United States Navy Ships built in Groton, Connecticut {{US-submarine-stub