Oregon is a nuclear powered attack submarine in the United States Navy. She is the fourth vessel to carry the name Oregon, the 33rd state of US, and the 20th Virginia-class submarine. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced her name on 10 October 2014 at a ceremony hosted at the Battleship Oregon Memorial in Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon.
Oregon on 1 March 2022
The Virginia class, or the SSN-774 class, is the newest class of nuclear-powered cruise missile fast attack submarines in service with the United States Navy. The class is 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 operate into the 2070s.
USS Virginia underway in July 2004
Rendering of a Virginia-class attack submarine
USS North Carolina, the last Block I boat, at her commissioning ceremony. Her advanced masts are visible in this image.
A sailor using an Xbox 360 controller to control the photonic masts of the USS Colorado (SSN-788) in 2018. It is the first submarine to use this Xbox controller.