Huntington Ingalls Industries [HII] said yesterday that the USS California (SSN-781), the nation’s newest nuclear-powered submarine, returned after completing the first round of sea trials, known as Alpha trials, on July 2 to Newport News, Va.
Sea trials provide an opportunity to test all systems, components and compartments and include submerging for the first time, high-speed runs while on the surface and submerged, and a demonstration of the submarine’s other capabilities.
“A successful sea trial is a major accomplishment and the culmination of several years of work that showcases the skills and craftsmanship of our shipbuilders,” said Becky Stewart, vice president for HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding’s submarine programs.
California, the eighth ship of the class, is in the final stages of testing at HII’s Newport News shipyard and on track to be delivered nine months early to the fleet, the Navy said. She will next undergo Bravo sea trials and the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey trials will commence later in July. Upon delivery this year, the California will be the most modern and sophisticated attack submarine in the world. The California was christened on Nov. 6, 2010.
HII Newport News Shipbuilding, one of only two shipyards capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines, is teamed with General Dynamics [GD] to build Virginia-class submarines.