USS Montana, the Navy’s newest attack submarine, successfully completed its initial sea trials, operating off the Virginia coast last week. (Huntington Ingalls Industries Facebook)
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (Tribune News Service) — USS Montana, the Navy’s newest attack submarine, successfully completed its initial sea trials, operating off the Virginia coast last week.
The sea trials included submerging for the first time. The sub also conducted high-speed maneuvers while on the surface and submerged.
Teams from Newport News Shipbuilding will continue the testing program.
“Taking the ship to sea for the first time is a huge milestone for everyone involved ... the ship was successfully brought to life,” said Jason Ward, Newport News Shipbuilding vice president of Virginia-class submarine construction.
He said the performance of Montana and its crew was exceptional.
Construction of Montana began in 2015. The boat is the 21st Virginia-class submarine built as part of the teaming partnership of Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics’ Electric Boat yard in Connecticut.
Montana was christened in September 2020; the shipyard will deliver it to the Navy later this year.
Newport News Shipbuilding has recently taken on a larger share of work on Virginia-class submarines with the start of the new Columbia class ballistic submarine that it and Electric Boat also build together.
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