About the Boat
USS NEW JERSEY
(SSN 796)
The third naval vessel to carry New Jersey's name. A Virginia-class fast-attack submarine built by Huntington Ingalls Industries and commissioned in September 2024 - the Devils of the Deep.
The Boat
A Virginia-class submarine, Block IV
SSN 796 is part of the Block IV version of the Virginia class and was built by Huntington Ingalls Industries at Newport News, Virginia. It is the first Virginia-class submarine designed and built with crew gender integration.
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the name on May 24, 2015, at a ceremony in Liberty State Park, Jersey City, New Jersey - bringing the proud name back to the fleet for a third time.
| Class & Type | Virginia-class submarine, Block IV |
| Displacement | 7,800 tons |
| Length | 377 ft (115 m) |
| Beam | 34 ft (10.4 m) |
| Draft | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Propulsion | S9G reactor, auxiliary diesel engine |
| Speed | 25+ knots (46 km/h) |
| Endurance | Up to 3 months submerged |
| Test Depth | Greater than 800 ft (244 m) |
| Complement | 15 officers, 120 enlisted |
| Armament | 2× Virginia Payload Tubes - 6× BGM-109 each (12 total); 4× 21-inch torpedo tubes for Mk-48 torpedoes |
Current Command
The Command Triad
SSN 796 is led by an experienced command triad responsible for the submarine's operations, crew welfare, and mission readiness.
Ronald Simmons
Andrew Hutchison
Joseph Calhoun
What SSN 796 Does
Mission Types
Virginia-class submarines like SSN 796 are among the most capable multi-mission platforms in the world's navies. SSN 796 is certified for the full range of submarine warfare missions.
Clandestine ISR operations - gathering critical intelligence while remaining undetected.
Precision strikes against land targets using Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from Virginia Payload Tubes.
Clandestine insertion and recovery of SOF teams - silent support for the nation's most sensitive missions.
Clandestine offensive and defensive mine warfare operations in contested waters.
Detection, tracking, and neutralization of enemy submarines - protecting fleet assets and sea lanes.
Engagement of surface combatants using torpedoes and missiles from depth, undetected.
Official crest of USS NEW JERSEY (SSN 796)
The Crest
Every element tells a story
-
The Jersey Devil
Horns at the top and a tail at the bottom - added by the crew after the initial crest was commissioned. They earned their name: the Devils of the Deep.
-
George Washington Crossing the Delaware
Inside an outline of New Jersey - representing the crew's drive for freedom, tenacity, and perseverance.
-
Battleship USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62)
A faded image of the most decorated U.S. Navy warship in history - the past that SSN 796 carries into the future.
-
Two Stars & Battle Stars
Two centered stars represent the two previous vessels named New Jersey. The outer edge lists the three wars and numerous battle stars awarded to BB-62.
-
The Dolphins
Symbol of the men and women who have earned their submarine qualification - those who patrol the depths and call the sea home.
Official Resources
Visit the Navy's official page for SSN 796, or support the crew through our organization.