US Navy officially commissioned USS Oregon, 2nd submarine of Block IV Virginia class, on a Saturday, Naval Submarine Base New London.
This marked the US Navy’s first in-person commission ceremony since 2019, due to the pandemic. USS Oregon (SSN 793) can dive upto depth of 800 feet (240 meters) and its armaments includes
- 12 x VLS tubes for BGM-109 Tomahawk
- 4 x 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes for Mk-48 torpedoes
USS Oregon is 377 feet long, has a 34-foot beam and is able to operate at speeds in excess of 25 knots. She has a crew of nearly 140 Navy personnel.
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The USS Oregon is the second Block IV Virginia-class submarine to enter service. The USS Navy said in a press release that the submarine is designed to conduct anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, delivery of special operations forces, strike warfare, irregular warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and mine warfare.
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“Oregon and the other Virginia-class submarines will not only sustain, but exploit our edge in undersea warfare,” said Adm. Frank Caldwell, director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, at the Saturday ceremony.
