Scene on the Sound: Virginia class submarine

Photo and text by Jan Hansen

Thursday around 2pm the sound was churned by U.S. Navy military ops.

The submarine is about 120 meters long and 10 meters wide. She was leaving Bremerton behind,  going more than 15 knots. My guess from the size and profile is that this is a submarine in the Virginia class.

If so, this Wikipedia commentary is appropriate.

The Virginia class, also known as the SSN-774 class, is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines (hull classification symbol SSN) in service with the United States Navy. The Virginia-class attack submarine is the U.S. Navy's latest undersea warfare platform and incorporates the latest in stealth, intelligence gathering and weapons systems technology.

Virginia-class submarines are designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions, including anti-submarine warfare and intelligence gathering operations. They are scheduled to replace older Los Angeles-class submarines, many of which have already been decommissioned. Virginia-class submarines will be acquired through 2043, and are expected to remain in service until at least 2060, with later submarines expected to remain into the 2070s.

Updated 9-6-19 to read "knots" instead of "knots per hour"