The Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Virginia (SSN 774), commanded by Cmdr. Mike Hartzell, will return to its homeport from a scheduled deployment at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, on Friday, December 20.
The crew of Virginia executed the chief of naval operations’ maritime strategy in supporting national security interests and maritime security operations during their six months at sea.
Fast-attack submarines are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities – sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence. They are designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, irregular warfare and mine warfare. Fast-attack submarines project power ashore with special operations forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or response to regional crises.
SSN 774 was commissioned in October of 2004 and is the tenth U.S. warship named after the Commonwealth of Virginia. It has a length of 377 feet with a beam of 34 feet and a crew of more than 134 personnel. The event will be livestreamed over multiple intervals at https://www.facebook.com/NavalSubmarineBaseNewLondon.
