Northrop Grumman Corporation reached a milestone in the life of the newest Virginia-class submarine, Texas (SSN 775), as the crew began moving aboard and ate the first meal prepared in the ship's galley.
"The milestone of moving the crew aboard a new warship is much
more than just getting the many systems and spaces built and turned
over," said Capt. John Litherland, prospective commanding officer of
the pre-commissioning unit Texas. "It represents the moment when the
ship really begins to come to life, as the crew starts living and
working aboard on a daily basis."
Texas is in the final stages of construction at the company's
Newport News sector. It is the second ship of the
Virginia class and
will be the first submarine delivered by Newport News since 1996.
"This is the first time we've served a meal on a new submarine
in a decade," said Becky Stewart, vice president for the submarine
program at Northrop Grumman Newport News. "It's a very special time for
the shipbuilders and the Navy crew, and this is an experience we're
looking forward to repeating as we continue to build future ships of
the class with our construction partner Electric Boat."
"Getting Texas to this point has required a tremendous effort
by the shipbuilders of Northrop Grumman Newport News, and my crew
appreciates the skill and dedication that went into producing our new
'home,'" Litherland said. "This event marks a major step toward taking
Texas to sea, and my crew and I are looking forward eagerly to the
upcoming crew certifications, sea trials and delivering Texas to the
Navy."
The next construction milestone is sea trials, an aggressive
series of operational tests to demonstrate the submarine's
capabilities. Sea trials are scheduled for early May with delivery to
the Navy in June.