About The Boat
The PCU-796 Virginia-class submarine will be the third naval vessel named after the great state of New Jersey. The [then] Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the name on May 24, 2015, at a ceremony in Liberty State Park, Jersey City, New Jersey.
The Virginia class, also known as the SSN-774 class, is a class of nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarines, currently in the military service in the United States Navy.
The New Jersey will be part of the Block IV version of the class and is being built by Huntington Ingalls Industries, Newport News, Virginia.
| Class and type | Virginia-class submarine |
| Displacement | 7,800 tons |
| Length | 377 ft (115 m) |
| Beam | 34 ft (10.4 m) |
| Draft | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Propulsion | S9G reactor auxiliary diesel engine |
| Speed | 25 knots (46 km/h) |
| Endurance | Can remain submerged for up to 3 months |
| Test depth | Greater than 800 ft (244 m) |
| Complement | 15 officers120 enlisted |
| Armament | 12 x VLS tubes for BGM-109 Tomahawk, 4 x 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes for Mk-48 torpedoes |
Mission Types:
- Clandestine intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
- Clandestine insertion and recovery of Special Operations Forces
- Clandestine strikes against land targets with Tomahawk cruise missiles
- Clandestine offensive and defensive mine warfare
- Anti-submarine warfare
- Anti-surface ship warfare
Current Command ‘Triad’:
Commanding Officer – Cmdr. Steven Halle
Executive Officer – LCDR Louis Schlecker
Chief of the Boat – Master Chief Joseph Calhoun
Official Website of the Boat:
https://www.sublant.usff.navy.mil/SSN796/
About The Boat’s Crest:
- The outside edge of the crest lists the 3 wars that the Battleship (BB-62) was involved in and the numerous battle stars that were awarded.
- The horns on the top and the tail at the bottom were added by the crew after the initial crest was commissioned and represent the Jersey Devil, lending to our names as “Devils of the Deep”
- Inside the crest lies an outline of the state of New Jersey. Inside the state is an image of George Washington crossing the Delaware River, representing our drive for freedom, tenacity and perseverance.
- Centered is the faded image of the Battleship USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62), representing the past and the submarine USS NEW JERSEY (SSN-796) is taking the name and her legacy into the future.
- The phrase in Latin is the moto of both the vessels. Virtute Ignis pro Libertas, Firepower for Freedom!
- Two stars centered represent the two previous vessels who proudly carried the name NEW JERSEY
- The Dolphins are the symbol of the men and women who patrol the depths and call the sea home.