HII reaches milestone in construction of USS Arkansas submarine
HII has completed the pressure hull for the Virginia-class submarine USS Arkansas (Photo: HII)
HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division has completed the pressure hull for the Virginia-class submarine USS Arkansas (SSN 800) meaning that all of the hull sections were joined to form a single watertight unit, marking a significant milestone in the construction process.
The USS Arkansas is a Block IV Virginia-class nuclear submarine which are replacing the old Los Angeles-class SSNs. Twenty-one have been delivered from multiple blocks.
The Virginia-class SSNs are fitted with the latest sensors and weapons, giving them an unrivalled capability for sea control, land attack, electronic warfare and special operations. Around 48 submarines are planned, with a total of 38 currently ordered.
NNS vice president of Virginia-class submarine construction Jason Ward said: ‘It’s exciting to reach pressure hull complete, because it’s a visible sign that construction has progressed to the point where Arkansas really starts to take its final shape.’
The milestone follows two other recent events in the construction of other submarines by the company, the christening of USS Massachusetts (SSN 798) and last month’s keel authentication of USS Oklahoma (SSN 802) at NNS so far in 2023.
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