Code Name: SSN 775

PCU Texas (SSN 775) was delivered to the Navy today -- the first submarine delivered by Newport News Shipyard since USS Cheyenne (SSN 773) back in 1996. The boat was delivered following the successful completion of INSURV trials (I discussed the first two sets of sea trials here, here, here, and here), and will now start getting ready for her commissioning in Texas this September.

For me, the thing that really jumped out of the article on the delivery was right at the front:

The Texas, code-named SSN-775, became the first sub accepted by the Navy the local yard since the USS Cheyenne in 1996...

In addition to the grammatical error, the writer -- remember, he's writing about a Navy issue for the Hampton Roads, Viriginia newspaper -- doesn't understand the concept of "hull numbers". "Code-named", my ass. And they wonder why the military laughs at the MSM's coverage of military matters.

The article also discusses the INSURV trial; excerpts are in the extended entry --

After attaining rave reviews by the ship's commander, Navy Capt. John Litherland, on two previous rounds of trials, the Texas also got the clearance from Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey, an independent branch of the Navy based in Norfolk. That approval cleared the way for today's final acceptance.

During two days of sea trials last week, about 18 people - eight surveyors, two senior enlisted personnel and about eight outside specialists - went through various systems on the ship to make the final call on the Texas' fitness for duty. The board surveyors were an unmistakable presence on the ship in their gray coveralls as they checked the ship and equipment.

A survey board spokesman today would not list or give a number or other breakdown of the deficiencies found on the submarine, but deemed them minor and easy to resolve.

"There weren't any show stoppers," said Shawn White, the board's assistant deputy chief of staff for submarines who was out on the trials testing electrical systems. "We did find things here and there, but there were no surprises. It was standard new construction type of things."

I'm sure, like all other new construction submarines, they had the classic INSURV hit "The ship did not have enough bunks for the designated crew size". And Group will demand the ship come up with a plan to fix the deficiency...