Northrop Grumman-Built Submarine New Mexico (SSN 779) Returns from Successful Sea Trials
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Dec. 2, 2009 - New Mexico (SSN 779), the nation’s newest and most advanced nuclear-powered submarine, returned to Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE:NOC) Shipbuilding sector in Newport News, Va. after completing the ship’s first round of successful sea trials on Nov. 26.
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Sea trials provide an opportunity to test all systems, components and compartments and include submerging for the first time, high-speed runs while on the surface and submerged, and a demonstration of the submarine’s other capabilities.
“The first sea trial is a milestone that the entire shipbuilding and Navy team has been working hard to achieve,” said Becky Stewart, vice president for Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding’s submarine program. “This accomplishment is a testament to the craftsmanship, dedication, persistence, and pride that our people take in the product they build — a very complex and high quality submarine.”
New Mexico is the sixth ship of the Virginia class and is in the final stages of construction and testing at the company’s Newport News shipyard. Delivery to the Navy is scheduled by the end of this year. The keel for New Mexico was authenticated April 12, 2008. The ship was christened on Dec. 13, 2008.
New Mexico is named for “The Land of Enchantment.” Upon delivery to the Navy this year, it will be the most modern and sophisticated attack submarine in the world, providing undersea supremacy well into the 21st century.
Northrop Grumman Newport News is teamed with General Dynamics Electric Boat to build the first 18 ships of the Virginia class. Current plans call for 30 Virginia-class submarines in the fleet. Using millions of parts from over 4,000 suppliers in 47 states and the District of Columbia, Virginia-class submarines incorporate dozens of new technologies and innovations and are the first major combatants designed with the post-Cold War security environment in mind.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.
Virginia Class Submarine New Mexico Nearing Delivery
By Peter Frost, Newport News Daily Press, Dec. 2, 2009
NEWPORT NEWS – Sea trials are underway for the Newport News-built New Mexico submarine, a boat Northrop Grumman Corp. hopes to deliver to the U.S. Navy by the end of the month.
The fast-attack sub is the sixth Virginia Class submarine that Northrop and construction partner General Dynamics Electric Boat will deliver to the Navy.
On Nov. 26, New Mexico completed its first set of sea trials, a days-long period at sea in which engineers put the sub through a series of performance exercises. The ship’s crew, working with Northrop workers, test all systems, components and compartments on the sub, including submerging for the first time and conducting high-speed runs.
Northrop said the first round of tests “went extremely well.”
“New Mexico’s sea trial raised the bar to a new level of performance,” said Jennifer Dellapenta, a spokeswoman.
Once the ship returns from its second round of trials, it will undergo a brief work period at the shipyard to address any potential issues. From there, the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey will take New Mexico on a final trial.
The sub was supposed to be commissioned in November, but Northrop found that some of its Newport News workers incorrectly installed bolts and fasteners that hold together tracks on which weapons are moved inside its torpedo compartment.
Improper installation of these pieces could result in a misalignment of the equipment, preventing the movement of weapon cradles, an issue that could have essentially disabled the sub’s ability to launch attacks or defend itself.
After the problems were found, Northrop and the Navy agreed to push back the delivery of the New Mexico until early 2010. But company officials in recent weeks have signaled a desire to get the sub out the door by the end of the year.
The bolt and fastener problems were found in August on four submarines: the North Carolina, New Mexico, Missouri and California. Of the four boats, none were underway. Only the North Carolina is commissioned, but it was in a maintenance period. The Missouri and California remain in various stages of construction in Newport News and in Groton, Conn.
Matt Mulherin, the Newport News shipyard’s general manager, told the Daily Press in October that the problems were found throughout the forward portions of each of the subs, leading the company to expand its investigation to include all areas where similar equipment was installed on Newport News-built vessels.
The issue, Mulherin said, was not the equipment, rather “it had to do with the process of installing those types of fasteners.”
Although the probe expanded, Mulherin said the most crucial areas where the errors have been found remain in the weapons-handling room.
“We’re making progress and fixing the things we’ve found, and we keep pushing” to expedite its completion, he said in October. Mulherin was not available Wednesday for comment.
The shipyard expects to have all fastener-related problems fixed by the second quarter of 2010.
Despite the problems, the Virginia-class submarine is often touted as one of the Navy’s most successful shipbuilding programs. The shipbuilders have driven down costs and improved quality on each successive ship.
Northrop and Electric Boat are under contract with the Navy to build 12 more Virginia Class submarines. Current Navy plans call for 30 of the nuclear-powered boats.
Future USS New Mexico Successfully Completes Alpha Trials
From Naval Sea Systems Command Public Affairs, Dec. 2, 2009
WASHINGTON – Pre-Commissioning Unit New Mexico (SSN 779), the U.S. Navy’s newest submarine, successfully completed its initial sea trials, or Alpha Trials, Nov. 26.
The submarine departed Newport News, Va., Nov. 24 to evaluate its seaworthiness and operational performance. New Mexico’s Alpha Trials included diving to test depth, executing an emergency surfacing, and testing the ship’s propulsion plant performance.
Successful completion of these sea trials is a significant step towards ensuring that New Mexico meets all specifications and is ready for delivery to the Navy, which is anticipated by the end of 2009, following completion of Bravo Sea Trials and the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey trials.
“New Mexico’s successful completion of sea trials is a testament to the hard work of the Navy’s shipbuilding team,” said Capt. Michael Jabaley, Virginia Class program manager. “It is this partnership that has helped get New Mexico to where it is today, ahead of original contract schedule.”
New Mexico is the sixth submarine of the Virginia Class and third that Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding will deliver. Delivery of the ship prior to the end of the year would be four months early to its contract delivery date.
When commissioned in early 2010, New Mexico will join the five subs of its class as flexible, multi-mission platforms designed to carry out the seven core competencies of the Submarine Force: anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; special operations forces; strike; irregular warfare; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; and mine warfare.
New Submarine On Sea Trials
By Christopher P. Cavas, Navy Times, December 3, 2009
The sixth submarine of the Navy’s Virginia class, the New Mexico, has successfully completed the first two rounds of builder’s sea trials and, if an upcoming sea trial by the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey passes muster, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding expects to deliver the sub to the Navy before the end of the year.
Work on the submarine was delayed most recently by workmanship problems discovered earlier this year in the weapons room handling system. The submarine was about 99 percent complete when the problem was discovered in early August. Similar problems also were found on at least three other Virginia-class submarines. Before the latest problems surfaced, the New Mexico had been scheduled for delivery at the end of September.
The New Mexico’s first sea trials, known as Alpha and Bravo, were conducted virtually back to back. The sub headed out for Alpha trials Nov. 24 and came back to its builder’s yard at Newport News, Va., on Nov. 26 - Thanksgiving Day. The vessel headed back out for Bravo trials the following day.
Even with the delays, the submarine’s building schedule remains well ahead of its contract schedule, which calls for delivery by April 30, 2010.
The New Mexico is expected to be commissioned into Navy service next year at Norfolk, Va.
Meanwhile, General Dynamics Electric Boat, partnered with Northrop to build half of each Virginia-class submarine, is ready to christen the Missouri on Saturday at its Groton, Conn., shipyard. The submarine, which was floated in drydock Nov. 20, will formally be named by Becky Gates, for the wife of Defense Secretary Robert Gates.