Portsmouth Naval Shipyard will formally welcome a new era, for which it has long been preparing, when the USS Virginia arrives in September for refitting.
It’s the first of the Navy’s new line of attack submarines to undergo a major overhaul, and it will be serviced in a drydock that has been reconstructed to accommodate it. According to the Portsmouth Herald, $43.5 million has been spent preparing for the arrival of these larger and more technically advanced ships.
The newspaper said that by next year, one-third of the shipyard’s workers will be assigned to Virginia-class submarines. It is similar in size and configuration to the Los Angeles-class submarines that the yard has long specialized in ”“ but whose days of service will eventually end.
The USS Virginia was launched in 2003. Its technological improvements include the replacement of the periscope with a system of digital optics and other sensors. A pump-jet system is reportedly used for propulsion. The class was designed to make efficient use of the latest technology and off-the-shelf hardware.
The improvements made at the shipyard to accommodate the shift were planned shortly after the yard was removed from the Base Realignment and Closure list in 2005. They were an essential investment in its long-term future.
The arrival of the USS Virginia next month should be celebrated as the result of years of effort, and as a hopeful sign that the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard will remain a vital U.S. facility.
— Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Nick Cowenhoven at nickc@journaltribune.com.
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