Newport News Shipbuilding delivers 10th Virginia-class sub

The Navy’s newest submarine is now in the hands of the sea service.

Newport News Shipbuilding delivered the future USS Montana (SSN-794) on March 11, according to a news release. It is the 10th Virginia-class fast-attack submarine to be delivered by Newport News and the 21st built as part of construction-sharing agreement with General Dynamics’ Groton, Connecticut-based Electric Boat subsidiary.

Montana is the second Virginia-class submarine to be delivered in less than a month; the future USS Oregon was handed over by General Dynamics in February, according to Naval Sea Systems Command.

Montana completed sea trials, which included submerging the submarine for the first time and surface and underwater maneuvers, in early February. It is scheduled for commissioning into the service in late June, Navy spokesperson Lt. Katie Diener told Virginia Business.

“We continue to be proud of our partnership with the U.S. Navy in delivering the most advanced ships in the world to our warfighters,” said Jason Ward, Newport News’ vice president of Virginia-class construction. “The results of the Navy’s board of inspection and survey during sea trials are a testament to our priorities of safety and quality. We are proud of our team of shipbuilders for delivering these critical capabilities to the Navy and the nation.”

More than 10,000 shipbuilders from Newport News and Electric Boat have worked since 2015 to construct the Montana. It is named for former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and was christened in 2020.

In December 2019, Reston-based General Dynamics won the largest Navy contract ever awarded, a $22.2 billion multiyear order for nine Block V Virginia-class nuclear-powered, fast-attack submarines capable of launching Tomahawk missiles.  That was followed by an additional $2.4 billion awarded in March 2021 to build a 10th Block V submarine. Construction of that submarine is expected to being in 2024.

The Montana is the third of the 10-ship Virginia-class known as Block IV, which incorporates design changes intended to reduce costs over the life of the ship. General Dynamics was awarded a $17.6 billion contract for construction of the block in 2014.

The first USS Montana was an armed cruiser that was also built at Newport News and commissioned in 1908.