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From: "Newsletter Editor, Charleston Base"=20 <newsletter@ussvicb.org>
To: <webmaster@ussvicb.org>
Subject: November=20 Newsletter

Vol.=20 4, No. 11           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;         =20 November 2008

Newsletter of Charleston Base, United = States=20 Submarine Veterans,=20 Inc.

           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;   =20            &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;       =20

           &nbs= p;            = ;            =     =20 USSVI=20 Creed

=93To=20 perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives
in = the=20 pursuit of their duties while serving their country.  That their dedication, = deeds, and=20 supreme sacrifice be a constant source of motivation toward = greater=20 accomplishments.  = Pledge=20 loyalty and patriotism to the United States = Government=94

 

Base web = page:      = http://www.ussvicb.org/

National web = page: www.ussvi.org

 

Base = Meeting:=20

 

November 13, = 2008

Social hour = 1800,=20 General Meeting 1900

 

 

Location:

 

Fleet = Reserve=20 Association Branch 269, Low Country Home

99 Wisteria=20 Rd.

Goose Creek, = South=20 Carolina.  Phone=20 843-569-2962

 

Base=20 Officers

 

Phone=20 Number

Commander

Steve=20 Nelms

843-563-7115

Vice=20 Commander

Carl=20 Chinn

843-875-3098

Secretary

Rick=20 Collins

843-851-3490

Treasurer

George = Lisle

843-559-4242

 

 

Special=20 Officers

 

Phone=20 Number

Chief = of the=20 Boat

Marty=20 Sessler

843-871-1536

Public = Affairs

Richard=20 Cleeve

843-899-4563

Sub = Vets=20 WWII

Sy=20 Mabie

843-871-9713

Nuclear=20 Historian

Rick=20 Carlson

843-875-4030

Veterans=20 Affairs

Jim=20 Morrison

843-832-9716

Chaplain

John=20 Nichols

843-873-5897

Membership

Carl=20 Chinn

843-875-3098

Holland=20 Club

Terry=20 Trump

843-873-9563

Little = David=20 Project

Rick=20 Wise

843-875-5559

Roving = Reporter

Rick=20 Wise

843-875-5559

Scholarship

Jim=20 Yates

843-873-0246

Newsletter

Carl=20 Chinn

843-875-3098

Storekeeper

Paul=20 Viering

843-797-2623

Alcohol &=20 Gaming

Dave=20 Mueller

843-553-2775

Webmaster

Nick=20 Nichols

843-873-5897

 

 

Minutes=20 of the October 2008 meeting

Attendance for = the=20 October 9, 2008 meeting was 101

Opening = Ceremony:  Base Commander called = the meeting=20 to order.  A Quorum = was=20 present and the meeting was commenced at 1900.

Introductions:  New people were = introduced; Nathan Dozier, Lawrence Latta, = and David=20 Burns (Commander of Grayback Base).  Welcome aboard.

Secretary:  Secretary Rick Collins = asked for a=20 motion to approve the meeting minutes from last month.  A motion was made and=20 seconded.  Minutes=20 approved.

Treasurer:  George Lisle gave the = treasurer=92s=20 report.

Storekeeper:  New items and new ball = caps.

Chaplain:  September Report:  Cards were sent as = follows to:

John=20 Kratz=20 on the death of his brother in Florida on September = 3rd.

Family of = Thomas=20 Walsh=20 via the George Funeral Home and Cremation Center. Tom was a member = of the=20 Aiken Base, a WWII Subvet who rode the DRUM SS-228. Tom went on = eternal=20 patrol on September 16th.

Whitey and = Joan=20 Mack.=20 Whitey=92s suffering with pancreatic cancer and Joan is having a = difficult=20 time with her health also.

Family of = ETCM (SS)=20 Robert McCulley of a = Florida Funeral=20 Home. He was a veteran of WWII, the Korean War and Vietnam=20 War.

Steve=20 Morris and family = on the=20 death of his brother, Michael on September 25th.

Thomas=20 Barnes showing = concern for=20 his illness. He is a friend of Gary Semler who reported that after = the=20 convention Thomas was coughing up blood. It has been determined = that it is=20 not cancer.

Joan Mack = and family=20 on the death of Chester M. (Whitey) Mack, Captain, USN (Ret.) on = September=20 25th.

Janet = Blackford and=20 family on the = death of Edwin=20 Blackford on September 25th. He served onboard the=20 Archerfish.

Rae Holtz = and=20 family on the = death of=20 Captain Arnold =91Ike=92 Holtz on September 26th. = Captain Holtz was=20 one of the five oldest living graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy. = He=20 served in battleships, destroyers, submarines, and amphibious = ships. World=20 War II service was spent in command of three different submarines = the O6,=20 the Tuna and the Baya. He was in command during eight submarine = war=20 patrols in all areas of the Pacific. His war time decorations = include the=20 Silver Star Medal and the Bronze Star Medal.

George=20 Lisle=20 as he goes through chemo treatments for his bone=20 cancer.

Ben=20 Heber=20 as he continues to undergoes treatment for his cancer. Ben Heber = is not=20 doing well and has been in bed the last few days. The radiation = treatment=20 is complete and starts chemo in 3 or 4 weeks.

Barney=20 Chaplin as he = continues his=20 treatments for cancer.

Curly=20 Houck=20 as he continues to go through this time with inoperable=20 cancer.

Rick=20 Wise=20 when he underwent a cardiac cath procedure = recently.

Paul=20 Walsh=20 on the death of his brother Steven. Paul is an honorary member of=20 Charleston Base and has volunteered a lot of work at the After=20 Battery.

Concerns = told at the=20 meeting:

John Sutton = just had=20 leg surgery.

Several=20 follow-ups were made on those who=92ve had surgery or illnesses in = the last=20 couple of months along with the base sending additional=20 cards.

If you know = of=20 shipmates or spouses from other bases who are having a difficult = time, had=20 surgery, etc. and would like for USSVI Charleston Base to send = them a card=20 please send their name and address to the Chaplain via email or = phone=20 call.

Vice Commander=20 Report:  No=20 report

Sub Vets = WWII:  Thursday the = 16th at=20 Ryan=92s.  The = discussion will=20 be for the Amberjack memorial at Patriots Point.

Scholarship:  Tolling of the Bell went = great.  We also just = received=20 an anonymous donation of $1200 to fund.  Also we still have = challenge=20 coins.

Public=20 Affairs:  = Look at your=20 picture on the web site. We are taking pictures so we know what = you look=20 like.

Webmaster:  The web site has new = information=20 on it you need to take a look at it.

Veteran=92s = Affairs:  No report

District=20 Commander:  Good job on = the Henry=20 Clay reunion.

South east=20 convention in St. Augustine Beach, 30 April through 3 May.  Holiday Inn $49 a=20 room

Gulf Coast Christmas party = coming=20 up.

Fleet = Reserve:  No report

Holland = Club:  No report

Membership:  315 members and as of = this moment=20 122 have not paid dues yet.

Little = David:  No report

Newsletter:  No report

Alcohol & = Gaming:  There are new baby goats = at the=20 After Battery.  = Buddha is the=20 =93Mid-wife =93of the year for his fast action and assistance in = the=20 delivery.  There is = no truth=20 to the rumor about the =93alleged=94 parentage of the goats.

Chief of the = Boat:  Hog roast coming up, do = not bring=20 cole slaw or baked beans, it is taken care = of.

Thank you = for helping=20 out on the working party at =93The After Battery=94.  Working party for set on = Friday in=20 PM.

Sunday = morning @ 0800=20 breakfast then cleanup.

Summerville = =93Taste of=20 the Town=94 Sunday the 9th of November at 1400.  Be there by=20 1330

Veterans Day = ceremony=20 11 November at 1000 Summerville County Services=20 building.

Submarine = memorial in=20 Galveston was damaged by hurricane Ike.

Base = Commander:  Base Commander spoke on = the=20 subject of the past national elections.  Presented an outline of = our=20 response to national and was given permission by those present to=20 proceed.

Nuclear = Historian:  Shocking, he had no = report!

Old = Business:  Christmas party coming = up on 6=20 December, $15 per person, member and wife, and $20 per guest.

New=20 Business:  = Nov. 8th breakfast at the = =93Fleet, 0930=20 to 1300.

The=20 FRA is in the Charleston Veterans Day parade

Good Of The=20 Order:  Still have a Holland Club ball cap that = was lost=20 at the Weapons Station.

Depth Charge = drawing $302=20 to winner who donated $100 back to scholarship fund.  The winner was George = Dale.

The=20 Base Commander adjourned meeting at 2000.

**=20 End of the minutes for October 2008 **

 

"Don't tell mom I'm = a=20 submariner, she thinks I play piano in a = whorehouse."

 

Barnette, G

Bergamo

Buxton

Campbell,=20 G

Gomez

Hubert

Kerstetter

LaForce

Lehmann

Litzenberger

McKanna

McLochlin

Miller, = M

Morrison

Mueller

Munoz

Narowski

O'Brien

Pease

Power

Rader

Seal

Starland

Stevenson

Viering

Wells

Wolfe

Wright

Yates, = W

 

 

 

 

 

 

November=20 4 =96 Election Day

November=20 9 =96 Patriotism In The Park, Azalea Park, Summerville.  1200 to 1600.  We will have a Boat = Tolling at=20 1400.

November=20 11 =96 Veterans Day Ceremony, Summerville County Services building = on Main=20 Street.  Starts at = 1030.

November=20 13 =96 Regular meeting

    

 

 

Navy Confirms Sunken = Submarine is=20 Grunion

PEARL HARBOR = (NNS) --=20 Commander, Submarine Forces Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC), Rear Adm. = Douglas=20 McAneny announced today that a sunken vessel off the coast of the = Aleutian=20 Islands is in fact the World War II submarine USS Grunion (SS = 216).

"I=20 am honored to announce that, with records and information provided = by the=20 Abele family and assistance from the Naval Historical Center, USS = Grunion=20 has been located," said McAneny. "We are very grateful to the = family of=20 Grunion's Commanding Officer Lt. Cmdr. Mannert L. Abele for = providing the=20 underwater video footage and pictures that allowed us to make this = determination. We also appreciate the efforts of the USS Cod = Submarine=20 Memorial for their assistance in this matter. We hope this = announcement=20 will help to give closure to the families of the 70 crewmen of=20 Grunion."

The=20 submarine Grunion arrived at Pearl Harbor on June 20, 1942. The = vessel=20 completed pre-patrol training before departing on its first war = patrol=20 June 30. Grunion's commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Abele, was = ordered to=20 proceed to the Aleutian Islands and patrol westward from Attu on = routes=20 between the Aleutians and the Japanese Empire. On July 10, Grunion = was=20 reassigned to the area north of Kiska. Over the next 20 days, the=20 submarine reported firing on an enemy destroyer, sinking three=20 destroyer-type vessels, and attacking unidentified enemy ships = near Kiska.=20

Grunion's last=20 transmission was received on July 30, 1942. The submarine reported = heavy=20 antisubmarine activity at the entrance to Kiska, and that it had = 10=20 torpedoes remaining forward. On the same day, Grunion was directed = to=20 return to Dutch Harbor Naval Operating Base. There was no contact = or=20 sighting of the submarine after July 30, and on August 16, Grunion = was=20 reported lost.

Abele was = posthumously=20 awarded the Navy Cross for heroism. A destroyer, USS Mannert L. = Abele (DD=20 733), was commissioned in his honor, and was later lost in action = off=20 Okinawa in 1945. Japanese anti-submarine attack data recorded no = attack in=20 the Aleutian area at the time of Grunion's disappearance, so the=20 submarine's fate remained an unsolved mystery for more than 60 = years.

After = discovering=20 information on the internet in 2002 that helped pinpoint USS = Grunion's=20 possible location, the sons of Grunion's commanding officer, = Bruce, Brad,=20 and John Abele, began working on a plan to find the submarine. In = August=20 2006, a team of side scan sonar experts hired by the brothers = located a=20 target near Kiska almost a mile below the ocean's surface. A = second=20 expedition in August 2007 using a high definition camera on a = remotely=20 operated vehicle (ROV) yielded video footage and high resolution = photos of=20 the wreckage of a U.S. fleet submarine.

"This discovery = has come=20 about through a stream of seemingly improbable events; it's like = we won=20 the lottery 10 times in a row," said Bruce Abele, eldest son of = Grunion's=20 commanding officer. "It is so dramatic to see the underwater photo = and be=20 certain it was in fact Grunion; not only is this announcement = important=20 for the families of the crew members, it's also important for the = Navy and=20 the country."

The=20 Abele brothers then contacted the USS Cod Submarine Memorial for=20 assistance in identifying the wreckage. The vessel is lying at a = depth of=20 about 3,200 feet. Very cold water and lack of significant currents = has=20 preserved much of the wreckage.

Dr.=20 John Fakan, director of the USS Cod Submarine Memorial, remarked = about the=20 importance of having an unmodified example in USS Cod, a fellow = Gato-class=20 submarine, in identifying the wreckage of USS Grunion.

"USS=20 Grunion and USS Cod shared the same blueprints," he said. "It is = very=20 gratifying for me and my crew to help with the identification of = the=20 submarine."

With=20 the information provided by the Abele family and the USS Cod = Submarine=20 Memorial, COMSUBPAC and the Naval Historical Center examined the = evidence=20 and historical records and determined that the submarine found at = the=20 reported position could only be USS Grunion.

"The=20 synergy of our group working together with the Navy for the common = cause=20 has been a wonderful group effort," Bruce Abele said. "The = teamwork=20 combined with everyone's compassion and wisdom has resulted in our = success."

According to = Bruce's=20 brother John Abele, those responsible for contributing to this = discovery=20 included historians and engineers from the United States, = Australia,=20 Israel and Japan. Of particular note was the involvement of = Japanese naval=20 architect Yutaka Iwasaki, who provided information critical to = pinpointing=20 the location of the submarine.

Bruce and = John's brother,=20 retired Lt. Brad Abele, who recently passed away, also played a=20 significant role in the find. As his brother John explained, = "Brad's=20 experience as a Naval aviator helped a great deal by helping us to = plot=20 the strategy for the discovery."

Unfortunately, = the cause=20 of Grunion's sinking remains a mystery. No matter what the cause, = the end=20 result was the loss of all hands. As the Naval Historical Center = noted,=20 "no amount of analysis or speculation will change or alter the = fact that=20 families lost fathers, husbands, uncles and brothers=85 the Navy = and the=20 nation will always be grateful for their service and their = sacrifice."=20

Former = Commander-in-Chief=20 of the U.S. Pacific Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz once said, "When = I=20 assumed command of the Pacific Fleet on 31 December 1941 our = submarines=20 were already operating against the enemy, the only units of the = Fleet that=20 could come to grips with the Japanese for months to come. It was = to the=20 Submarine Force that I looked to carry the load until our great = industrial=20 activity could produce the weapons we so sorely needed to carry = the war to=20 the enemy. It is to the everlasting honor and glory of our = submarine=20 personnel that they never failed us in our days of great = peril."

By=20 the end of World War II, submarines had made more than 1,600 war = patrols.=20 Pacific Fleet submarines like Grunion accounted for more than half = of all=20 enemy shipping sunk during the war. The cost of this success was = heavy: 52=20 U.S. Pacific Fleet submarines were lost, and more than 3,500 = submariners=20 remain on "eternal patrol."

A=20 representative of the submarine force will speak on behalf of the = U.S.=20 Navy at a memorial service in Cleveland, Ohio, Oct. 11. The = service,=20 hosted by the USS Cod Memorial, will honor the 70 crewmembers = killed when=20 USS Grunion was sunk near the Aleutian Islands on or about July = 30,=20 1942.

"To=20 provide ourselves and the families this closure, it's icing on the = cake,"=20 said John Abele. "The memorial service is a symbolic event; we've=20 discovered family we didn't know we had. Not only is this an honor = for all=20 of us, it increases the feeling of community we've been able to=20 achieve."

 

 

New Submarine Rescue Asset = Joins=20 Fleet

WASHINGTON = (NNS) -- The=20 Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System's (SRDRS) Rescue = Capable=20 System (RCS) replaced the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle Mystic = (DSRV-1)=20 as the U.S. Navy's deep-submergence submarine rescue asset on = Sept. 30.=20 Mystic and the DSRV program began deactivation on Oct. 1.

SRDRS is a = rapidly=20 deployable rescue asset that can be delivered by air or ground, = installed=20 on pre-screened military or commercial vessels of opportunity = (VOO) via a=20 ship interface template, and mated to a distressed submarine = within a=20 72-hour time to first rescue period.

Mystic is a = small rescue=20 submarine capable of deploying via air or ground to a port where = it is=20 mated to a specially configured submarine which serves as the host = platform for the voyage to the disabled submarine.

"Mystic has = served the=20 United States and the international submarine community admirably = for the=20 last 31 years," said Steve Schulze, executive director, Undersea = Warfare,=20 Naval Sea Systems Command.

"Mystic brought = new=20 capabilities to the fleet when she entered service in 1977; now = SRDRS=20 builds upon those innovations, delivering even greater = capabilities to the=20 international submarine community."

SRDRS is a = three-phased=20 acquisition program that will deliver advanced submarine rescue = and=20 treatment assets to the fleet. The first phase of the program was = the=20 Atmospheric Dive System 2000 (ADS2000) which was delivered to the = Navy in=20 2006. ADS2000 is a manned, one-atmosphere dive suit capable of = inspecting=20 disabled submarines and clearing debris from escape hatches. The = RCS=20 constitutes SRDRS' second phase.

SRDRS-RCS = consists of=20 Falcon, the tethered, remotely-operated Pressurized Rescue Module = (PRM),=20 its launch and recovery system, and its support equipment; all of = which=20 are controlled from a VOO.

The=20 final phase of the SRDRS program is the Submarine Decompression = System=20 (SDS), scheduled for delivery in late 2012. SDS will allow rescued = submariners to remain under pressure during the transfer from the = PRM to=20 hyperbaric treatment chambers aboard the VOO.

Unlike Mystic, = which=20 could only be transported to the disabled submarine via modified=20 submarines, SRDRS is a "fly-away" system that can quickly and = easily be=20 mobilized via large military or civilian transport aircraft and = installed=20 aboard a variety of VOOs within hours of notification of a = submarine in=20 distress.

Falcon can = conduct rescue=20 operations to a depth of 2,000 feet, can mate to a disabled = submarine at a=20 list and trim of up to 45 degrees, and can transfer up to 16 = personnel at=20 a time. Mystic required its own power source =96 necessitating a = two-hour=20 battery charge between cycles. Because SRDRS-RCS receives its = power from a=20 VOO via an umbilical, it can operate around the clock without = pause.

"SRDRS has been = a=20 tremendously successful program to date," said Rear Adm. William=20 Hilarides, program executive officer for submarines. "We took this = platform and exercised it in some difficult conditions on the = world stage=20 and it performed up to our very high expectations."

SRDRS underwent = a unique=20 test and operational evaluation during the international submarine = rescue=20 exercise Bold Monarch in May-June 2008. During Bold Monarch, SRDRS = demonstrated its ability to mate and transfer personnel from three = participating submarines, one each from Norway, the Netherlands, = and=20 Poland. Personnel from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, = Russia,=20 Pakistan, India, Norway, Italy, Israel, Sweden, Spain, Singapore, = the=20 Netherlands, France, and China spent time aboard SRDRS. More = recently,=20 SRDRS demonstrated its capabilities during an exercise with the = Chilean=20 submarine CS Simpson (SS-21) Sept. 17-18.

"From a testing = and=20 certification standpoint, SRDRS has delivered on all of its = initial=20 expectations," said Capt. Gary Dunlap, program manager for = Advanced=20 Undersea Systems. "This system provides not only the U.S. Navy, = but all=20 navies, with a flexible, capable, and =96 most importantly =96 = rapidly=20 deployable rescue asset."

SRDRS will be = based out=20 of San Diego, and operated by the Navy's Deep Submergence = Unit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Admiral Osborne Scholarship = Fund

How=20 about helping out the scholarship fund?  We are offering a = Charleston Base=20 Challenge Coin for sale.  = ALL=20 proceeds go into the scholarship fund.

Coins only cost = $7=20 each.  Available for = an=20 additional $1 is a protective plastic capsule.

To=20 get your coin(s) see Jim Yates, Julian Villegas or Carl Chinn.

Make=20 sure you have one for =93when you get challenged=94!

Buy=20 several for great gifts!

 

 

2009 COLA for Retired=20 Pay

Each=20 year military retirement pay is adjusted to meet the increased = cost of=20 living. This Cost-of-Living-Adjustment (COLA) varies from year to = year=20 based on the previous year's Consumer Price Index (CPI).

2009=20 Update: The 2009 military retired pay cost-of-living adjustment = (COLA)=20 will be 5.8%. This increase, which goes into effect on December 1, = 2008,=20 also applies to SBP annuities, Social Security checks, and VA = disability=20 and survivor benefits. Retirees will see the increase in their = January=20 2009 checks.

Note:=20 This annual Cost-of-Living-Adjustment is NOT in anyway related to = the=20 annual military pay raise for active duty and reserve service = members. In=20 fact, this year=92s COLA increase is larger than the 2009 military = pay raise=20 of 3.9%.

All=20 retirees who retired before January 1, 2008 will receive the 5.8 = percent=20 Cost-of-Living-Adjustment.

Retirees=20 who first became a member of the uniformed services before Sept. = 8, 1980=20 and retired on or after January 1, 2008 will receive the 5.0 = percent=20 Cost-of-Living-Adjustment.

Retirees=20 who first became a member of the uniformed services on or after = Sept. 8,=20 1980, and retired in 2008 will receive a Partial COLA on a = prorated basis=20 as follows:

Jan.=20 1, 2008, and March 31, 2008, will receive 5.0%

April=20 1 - June 30, 2008 will receive 3.8%

July=20 1 - Sept. 30, 2008 will receive 1.2%

Those=20 who retired after Oct. 1, 2008, will see no COLA this year.

Retirees=20 who first entered the military after Sept. 8, 1980 and retired = before Jan.=20 1, 2008 will also receive the 5.8 percent COLA. 

Retirees=20 who first became members of the uniformed services on or after = Aug. 1,=20 1986 and elected to receive a Career Status Bonus at 15 years, and = retired=20 on or before Jan. 1, 2008, will receive an increase of only 4.8=20 percent.

 

 

Navy Commissions Submarine = New=20 Hampshire

WASHINGTON = (NNS) -- The=20 Navy's newest attack submarine New Hampshire (SSN 778) will be=20 commissioned Oct. 25 during a 10 a.m., ceremony at the Portsmouth = Naval=20 Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.

U.S.=20 Sen. Judd Gregg will deliver the ceremony's principal address. The = ship's=20 sponsor, Cheryl McGuinness of Portsmouth, N.H., is the widow of = Lt. Cmdr.=20 Thomas McGuinness, a veteran Navy pilot and co-pilot of American = Airlines=20 Flight 11 which was flown into the North Tower of the World Trade = Center=20 by terrorists Sept. 11, 2001. The ceremony will be highlighted by = a=20 time-honored Navy tradition when McGuinness gives the order to = "man our=20 ship and bring her to life!"

The=20 fifth submarine of the Virginia-class, New Hampshire was delivered = eight=20 months early thanks to the Navy's on-going cost-reduction = initiatives.=20 This will mark the first time since 1996 that the Navy has = commissioned=20 two submarines of the same class in the same year. USS North = Carolina (SSN=20 777) was commissioned in May.

Through their = unique=20 capabilities of stealth and endurance, Virginia-class submarines = directly=20 enable the Maritime Strategy core capabilities of forward = presence,=20 deterrence, sea control, power projection and maritime security. = Equally=20 adept at operating in the world's shallow littoral regions and = deep=20 waters, New Hampshire will significantly contribute to the mission = areas=20 of anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; special = operations=20 forces; strike; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; = irregular=20 warfare; and mine warfare.

Cmdr. Mike = Stevens, a=20 native of Tacoma, Wash., will become the ship's first commanding = officer,=20 leading a crew of approximately 134 officers and enlisted = personnel.

The=20 7,800-ton New Hampshire was built under a unique teaming = arrangement=20 between General Dynamics Electric Boat and Northrop Grumman = Shipbuilding.=20 New Hampshire is 337 feet in length, has a beam of 34 feet and can = operate=20 at depths greater than 800 feet and at speeds exceeding 25 knots=20 submerged. New Hampshire is also designed with a reactor plant = which will=20 not require refueling during the planned life of the ship, = reducing=20 lifecycle costs while increasing operational availability.

Looking to = the=20 Future  Five = more=20 Virginia-class submarines are under construction, and each is = expected to=20 be delivered between eight and 12 months early. The sixth ship of = the=20 class, New Mexico (SSN 779), will be christened on Dec. 13 at = Northrop=20 Grumman Shipbuilding=92s Newport News site.

The=20 Navy is negotiating a five-year, eight-ship Virginia-class = contract that=20 will build one ship per year in 2009 and 2010 before transitioning = to two=20 ships per year in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Scheduled to be awarded in = December=20 2008, this will be the third Virginia class contract.

In=20 2005, the CNO stated that the Navy would buy two Virginia-class = submarines=20 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 if the per-unit cost came down from $2.4 = billion=20 per hull to $2 billion as measured in FY05 dollars. That = cost-reduction=20 goal remains in place today. Considering inflation, the actual = goal per=20 submarine in FY12 is $2.59 billion. The program is on track to = meet this=20 goal.

 

 

 

Charleston = Base Boat=20 Tolling Ceremony
at 1400