
The USS Illinois (SSN-786), the Navy’s 13th Virginia-class attack submarine, has completed its first sea voyage, prime contractor General Dynamics [GD] Electric Boat announced Aug. 1.During the alpha sea trials, which took place July 29 to 31 and ended at Electric Boat’s shipyard in Groton, Conn., the nuclear-powered submarine submerged for the first time and performed high-speed runs on and below the surface. The tests showed that the vessel’s propulsion plant is “fully mission-capable,” Electric Boat said.“The crew and shipbuilders…