USS New Hampshire (SSN-778)

History
United States
NameUSS New Hampshire
NamesakeThe State of New Hampshire
Ordered14 August 2003
BuilderGeneral Dynamics Electric Boat
Laid down30 April 2007
Launched21 February 2008
Christened21 June 2008
Commissioned25 October 2008
HomeportNorfolk, Virginia
IdentificationMMSI number: 369970008
Motto"Live Free or Die"
Statusin active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class & typeVirginia-class submarine
Displacement7,800 tons
Length377 ft (115 m)
Beam34 ft (10 m)
Propulsion
  • 1 × S9G PWR nuclear reactor 280,000 shp (210 MW), HEU 93%
  • 2 × steam turbines 40,000 shp (30 MW)
  • 1 × single shaft pump-jet propulsor
  • 1 × secondary propulsion motor
Speed25 knots (46 km/h)
RangeEssentially unlimited distance; 33 years
Test depth800 ft (244 m)
Complement134 (14 officers, 120 enlisted)
Armament12 × VLS (BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile) & 4 × 533 mm torpedo tubes (Mk-48 torpedo)

USS New Hampshire (SSN-778), a Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, is the fourth vessel of the United States Navy to be named for the state of New Hampshire. She is the first of the Virginia-class Block-II submarines to enter service. Her name was awarded to the submarine after a letter-writing campaign by the third-graders from Garrison Elementary School and sixth graders from Dover Middle School in Dover to their members of Congress, the state governor, and the Secretary of the Navy.