Contents

USS California (SSN-781)

USS California underway
History
United States
Name	USS California
Namesake	State of California
Awarded	14 August 2003
Builder	Huntington Ingalls Industries - Newport News Shipbuilding
Laid down	1 May 2009
Sponsored by	Mrs. Donna Willard
Christened	6 November 2010
Launched	14 November 2010
Commissioned	29 October 2011
Homeport	Groton, Connecticut[1]
Motto	Silentium Est Aureum ("Silence Is Golden")
Status	Ship in active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and type	Virginia-class submarine
Displacement	7,800 tons light 7,900 tons full
Length	114.9 m (377.0 ft)
Beam	10.3 m (33.8 ft)
Propulsion	1 × S9G PWR nuclear reactor[2] 280,000 shp (210 MW), HEU 93%[3][4] 2 × steam turbines 40,000 shp (30 MW) 1 × single shaft pump-jet propulsor[2] 1 × secondary propulsion motor[2]
Speed	greater than 25 knots (46 km/h)[5]
Range	Essentially unlimited distance; 33 years
Test depth	greater than 800 ft (240 m)[6]
Complement	134 officers and crew[5]

USS California (SSN-781), is the eighth Virginia-class submarine, and the seventh United States Navy ship named for the state of California. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding (then called Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.) in Newport News, Virginia, on 14 August 2003. Construction began in December 2006.^[7] California's keel was laid down on 1 May 2009. She was christened on 6 November 2010, sponsored by Donna Willard, wife of Admiral Robert F. Willard.^[8] She was launched eight days later, on 14 November 2010.^[9]

California is the first Virginia-class submarine built with the advanced electromagnetic signature reduction system; although it will be retrofitted into older submarines of the class.^[10]

California was delivered to the Navy on 7 August 2011, eight and a half months ahead of schedule.^[11] The $2.3 billion ship was commissioned on 29 October 2011 in Norfolk, Virginia.^[12]

References[edit]

•  This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS California (SSN-781).

• Mohl, Michael (2010). "California (SSN-781)". Submarine Photo Archive. NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
• "California (SSN 781) Christening". Northrop Grumman. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
• "California (SNN 781) Commissioning". US Navy. Retrieved 4 April 2011.

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