The Virginia Pilot – by Ryan Murphy
NORFOLK – The colors were raised, the watch was set and on Saturday at 11:56 a.m., the fast-attack sub Washington officially became the USS Washington and was commissioned into the U.S. Navy.
Construction on the sub started in Newport News in September 2011.
In March 2015, it was christened the Washington. The “USS” designation may not seem like much to the average civilian, but for Cmdr. Gabriel Cavazos, it’s the culmination of years of construction work and many months of effort from his crew.
“It means we can finally take our place in the fleet. It actually bears a burden as well … we have to be ready to be out there and fight the fight if our nation calls upon us.”
Known to crew members as the “Blackfish,” the USS Washington cost $2.6 billion to build.
The Virginia-class sub is 377 feet long and 34 feet wide, and weighs about 7,900 tons when submerged. Underwater, it can reach speeds in excess of 25 knots.
Congressional and Washington state officials were on hand to congratulate the crew of the Navy’s newest submarine – and Seattle-based Starbucks had a tent set up providing iced coffee to attendees.
Everything from the sub’s given name to its “Blackfish” nickname pays homage to the 42nd state. The sub’s crest boasts the Seattle skyline, Mount Rainier and an image of the sub bursting from the waves of the Puget Sound sporting a teal-and-red Native American-inspired paint job meant to evoke the orca, which is where the name Blackfish comes from.
Nine ships have been commissioned into the Navy with the name “Washington.”
The last one to bear the name was commissioned in 1941, ahead of World War II.
“Unlike 1941, we are not on the brink of world war,” Adm. Frank Caldwell told the crowd. “Still, we live in a troubled world. We don’t know what the Washington will be called to do, but I believe the ship’s motto will ring true … to preserve peace by being prepared for war.”
This is the 14th Virginia-class submarine to join the fleet, but only the second based in Norfolk. Thirteen more Virginia-class submarines are in various stages of construction, Newport News Shipbuilding executives said Saturday.
Cavazos said the USS Washington will return to the shipyard in Newport News and spend nearly 6 months basically “having Huntington Ingalls doing warranty work,” fixing a few things on the boat.
Then, it will be ready for deployment in the summer of 2019.
When Cavazos took command of the sub in April, he ad-libbed the conclusion of his speech with, “Fear the Blackfish.”
He ended the commissioning the same way, but this time, the crew responded in unison, “Prepared for war.”
Like we don’t have enough already? This stuff is being built only to keep investors happy. Complete waste of our money, It took 6 years to built this goddamn thing, every year the price went up.
What a coincidence. …
I just commissioned a naval vessel this week myself….
It’s. .called the…drum roll plzzzz….
The Subway 5 dollar foot long tactical
submarine. Its the S5dflt….on the menu.
Its like ordering a foot long sub.
Then you realize you should have only ordered a 6″ sub to shove in your mouth.
Think…Fresh…!