USS West Virginia (SSBN-736)

For other ships with the same name, see USS West Virginia.

USS West Virginia (SSBN-736)
USS West Virginia (SSBN-736)
History
United States
NamesakeThe State of West Virginia
Ordered21 November 1983
BuilderGeneral Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut
Laid down24 December 1987
Launched14 October 1989
Sponsored byMrs. Erma Byrd
Commissioned20 October 1990
HomeportKings Bay, Georgia
Motto
  • Montani Semper Liberi
  • ("Mountaineers are Always Free")
Nickname(s)The Silent Mountaineer
Statusin active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeOhio-class ballistic missile submarine
Displacement
  • 16,764 long tons (17,033 t) surfaced[1][2]
  • 18,750 long tons (19,050 t) submerged[1]
Length560 ft (170 m)
Beam42 ft (13 m)[1]
Draft38 ft (12 m)
Propulsion
SpeedGreater than 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)[5]
Test depthGreater than 800 feet (240 m)[5]
Complement
Armament

USS West Virginia (SSBN-736) is a United States Navy Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine. She has been in commission since 1990. She is the third U.S. Navy ship to be named for West Virginia, the 35th state, and the 11th of 18 Ohio-class submarines.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "SSBN-726 Ohio-Class FBM Submarines". Federation of American Scientists. 9 February 2000. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Frost, Peter. "Newport News contract awarded". Daily Press. Archived from the original on 27 April 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  3. ^ "US study of reactor and fuel types to enable naval reactors to shift from HEU fuel". Fissile Materials. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  4. ^ Brendan Patrick Hanlon (July 2015). Validation of the Use of Low Enriched Uranium as a Replacement for Highly Enriched Uranium in US Submarine Reactors (PDF) (Master thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Submarine Frequently Asked Questions". Chief of Naval Operations Submarine Warfare Division. Archived from the original on 13 July 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2011.