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USS New Jersey (SSN-796)

The lead boat of the Virginia class, USS Virginia.
History
United States
Namesake	State of New Jersey
Ordered	28 April 2014
Builder	Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
Laid down	25 March 2019
Launched	14 April 2022
Sponsored by	Susan DiMarco
Christened	13 November 2021
Commissioned	14 September 2024
Homeport	Norfolk, Virginia
Identification	Hull symbol:SSN-796
Motto	Virtute Ignis pro Libertas "Firepower for Freedom"
Status	In active service
Badge
General characteristics
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 officers 120 enlisted
Armament	12 x VLS tubes for BGM-109 Tomahawk 4 x 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes for Mk-48 torpedoes

USS New Jersey (SSN-796), a Block IV Virginia-class submarine, is the third United States Navy vessel named for the state of New Jersey. The first two New Jerseys were battleships BB-16 and BB-62. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the name for the third New Jersey on 25 May 2015, at a ceremony in Jersey City, New Jersey.

The USS New Jersey is the first US Navy attack submarine designed and constructed for a mixed-gender crew.

Construction

New Jersey's construction reached pressure hull completion in February 2021. The construction milestone signifies that all of the submarine’s hull sections have been joined to form a single, watertight unit. She was christened on 13 November 2021 and launched on 14 April 2022. New Jersey was delivered to the Navy on 25 April 2024, and was commissioned on 14 September 2024 at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Middletown, New Jersey.

In October 2024, the Navy reported that welders purposely circumvented proper procedures, resulting in substandard welds on the ship. The Navy said the faulty welds did not impact the safety of the vessel.

Ship’s crest

New Jersey's crest features the submarine in the foreground with the Iowa-class battleship New Jersey in the background, surmounted by the motto, "Virtute Ignis Pro Libertas". This is a Latin translation of "Firepower for Freedom", which was also the battleship’s motto. On the side is the outline of the State of New Jersey with a portion of the famous painting Washington Crossing the Delaware set inside the borders. The references to Washington's victory at Trenton and to the battleship New Jersey are meant to show that the submarine is the heir to a long tradition. Centered is the faded image of the battleship USS New Jersey (BB62), representing the past, and the submarine USS New Jersey (SSN 796) taking the name and her legacy into the future. The devil horns, tail, and wings on the outside of the crest are a reference to the Jersey Devil, the legendary creature said to inhabit the New Jersey Pine Barrens.

Mixed-gender design

The New Jersey was designed to accommodate a mixed-gender crew. Some of the design elements include doors to establish separate sleeping and showering compartments, lowering overhead valves, and providing steps for bunk beds and stacked laundry machines.

Notes

1. The first female submariners ever in the US Navy were on ballistic missile submarines, such as USS Wyoming (SSBN-742), in 2011.

References

1. "New Jersey (SSN-796)". nvr.navy.mil. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
2. "Huntington Ingalls Industries Authenticates Keel of Virginia-Class Attack Submarine New Jersey (SSN 796)" (Press release). Huntington Ingalls Industries. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
3. ^ "Lo spettacolare time lapse del varo del sottomarino nucleare USS New Jersey - video (1 Maggio 2022) /The spectacular time lapse of the launch of the nuclear submarine USS New Jersey - video". rainews.it. 1 May 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
4. ^ "Virginia-Class Attack Submarine New Jersey (SSN 796) Christened at Newport News Shipbuilding" (Press release). Huntington Ingalls Industries. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
5. "Defense.gov News Release: Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus Names Virginia-Class Submarine USS New Jersey". defense.gov. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
6. "US Navy's New Sub to Be Named USS New Jersey". navaltoday.com. 25 May 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
7. "Latest Virginia-Class Submarine Named". maritime-executive.com. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
8. "Future USS New Jersey Delivers to U.S. Navy". Naval Sea Systems Command. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
9. Hutton, Stephen. "Welcome to the USS NEW JERSEY Commissioning Committee Website". USS New Jersey Commissioning Committee. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
10. "Navy Commissions USS New Jersey (SSN 796)".
11. Shane III, Leo; Ziezulewicz, Geoff. "Navy identifies three vessels impacted by faulty shipyard weld work". Army Times. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
12. "First coed submarine joins Navy fleet". NBC News. 14 September 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.

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