Sub New Mexico delivered to Navy - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

Sub New Mexico delivered to Navy

Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding on Tuesday delivered the attack submarine New Mexico, four months earlier than its contract delivery date. New Mexico is the sixth of 18 scheduled Virginia-class submarines.

Work on the New Mexico was delayed most recently by workmanship problems discovered earlier this year in the weapons room handling system. The submarine was about 99 percent complete when the problem was discovered in early August. Similar problems also were found on at least three other Virginia-class submarines. Before the latest problems surfaced, the New Mexico had been scheduled for delivery at the end of September.

The New Mexico’s first sea trials, known as Alpha and Bravo, were conducted virtually back to back. The sub headed out for Alpha trials on Nov. 24 and came back to its builder’s yard at Newport News, Va., on Nov. 26. The vessel headed back out for Bravo trials the following day.

“New Mexico performed superbly on sea trials,” said Rear Adm. William Hilarides, program executive officer for submarines, in a press release.

Even with the delays, the submarine remains well ahead of its contract schedule, which calls for delivery by April 30, 2010. It also keeps the Navy on pace for a 60-month construction span by the end of the Block II contract. That contract calls for two $2 billion submarines each year starting in 2011. Block II boats are built in four sections, compared with the 10 sections of the Block I boats.

“Keeping the production rate at two per year is critical to maintaining the Navy’s attack submarine inventory,” said Capt. Michael Jabaley, Virginia-class program manager.

North Carolina and New Hampshire, the two submarines delivered prior to New Mexico, were completed in 82 and 71 months, respectively. New Mexico completed construction in just 70 months. It is expected to be commissioned March 27 at Norfolk, Va.

In 2009, the Virginia-class program also saw construction begin on the North Dakota on March 2; the keel-laying ceremony of the California on May 1; Texas’ completion of the first Virginia-class Arctic Ocean testing in November; transfers of the Hawaii and Texas to their new homeport of Pearl Harbor in July and November, respectively; and the christening of the Missouri on Dec. 5.