Delaware Virginia-class Submarine Completes Initial Sea Trials

Huntington Ingalls Industries completed the initial sea trials on the newest Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine, Delaware (SSN 791).

The submarine, in the final stages of construction, spent three days at sea proving all of its systems, components and compartments. Delaware submerged for the first time and performed high-speed manoeuvre on the surface and underwater.

The submarine is scheduled to undergo a round of acceptance trials before it is delivered, the company said in a statement on Saturday.

Virginia-class submarines operate in the world's littoral and deep waters while conducting anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, special operation forces support, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.