US Navy accepts USS Colorado
The US Navy has accepted delivery of the future USS Colorado, the 15th submarine of the Virginia-class, Navsea announced on 21 September.
Construction of the Colorado began in 2012. The attack submarine is expected to be commissioned in spring 2018.
USS Colorado is the fifth Virginia-class Block III submarine that features a redesigned bow with enhanced payload capabilities, replacing 12 individual vertical launch tubes with two large-diametre Virginia Payload Tubes, each capable of launching six Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Virginia-class submarines are built to operate in the world’s littoral and deep waters while conducting anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, special operation forces support, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, irregular warfare, and mine warfare missions.
More from Naval Warfare
-
China’s mineral processing dominance exposes naval supply chain vulnerabilities
Competition for critical minerals, and China’s dominance of their processing, is emerging as a decisive factor in future naval procurement programmes.
-
Suppliers await next step in Australia’s mine warfare transition
Australia’s mine countermeasure capability remains in flux as the Huon-class nears retirement, but accelerated investment in autonomous systems is opening a path for industry.
-
Can the US Navy ask Indo-Pacific allies to do more while training with them less?
As the Iran War draws US ships and marine corps units away from the Indo-Pacific, curtailed exercises and a temporary carrier gap are exposing tensions between Washington’s demand for more self-reliant allies and the joint training needed to realise that ambition.
-
How could Rheinmetall’s GMF 140 fit with ongoing programmes in North America?
With Canada committed to its River-class replacement and the USN pursuing a lower-cost frigate, Rheinmetall will need to demonstrate where the GMF 140 can fill a capability gap in the North American fleet.
-
Australian industry programme builds pipeline for Virginia-class sustainment
Australian businesses can now bid to support Virginia-class submarine sustainment in Western Australia, as momentum around the Henderson Defence Precinct also builds.