Future USS Delaware (SSN-791) Accepted By U.S. Navy

From the Oct. 29, 2019, Maritime Executive "Future USS Delaware delivered to the U.S. Navy."

It is the Navy's 18th Virginia-Class nuclear submarine.  Construction on it began in 2013 and it is scheduled for commissioning April 4, 2020.  This is the last of what is called the Block II Virginia-Class submarines.  It is the last of this group.  There will be a Block III group next.

Virginia Class submarines are built to operate in deep waters doing anti-submarine, anti-surface, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, irregular warfare and  mine warfare missions.

It is the seventh ship to bear the name of "The First State."  The first one served in the American revolution, the second one in the Quasi War with France.  The third was burned to prevent her falling into the hands of Confederates and the fourth one served blockade duties during the Civil War.

Little is known about the fifth Delaware, other than it was a screw steamer which had another name before being changed to Delaware on May 15, 1869.  The sixth Delaware was a battleship commissioned April 4, 1910, that served in the Atlantic and Caribbean.

During World War I, she provided convoy protection and participated in Allied naval exercises before being decommissioned in 1923.

Welcome Aboard USS Delaware.  --Old B-Runner