USS New Jersey (SSN-796), a Block IV -class submarine, is the third United States Navy vessel named for the state of New Jersey. The first two New Jerseys were battleships BB-16 and BB-62. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the name for the third New Jersey on 25 May 2015, at a ceremony in Jersey City, New Jersey.[1] [2] [3]
The USS New Jersey is the first US Navy attack submarine designed and constructed for a mixed-gender crew.
New Jerseys construction reached pressure hull completion in February 2021. The construction milestone signifies that all of the submarine’s hull sections have been joined to form a single, watertight unit. She was christened on 13 November 2021 and launched on 14 April 2022. New Jersey was delivered to the Navy on 25 April 2024,[4] and was commissioned on 14 September 2024 at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Middletown, New Jersey.[5] [6]
In October 2024, the Navy reported that welders purposely circumvented proper procedures, resulting in substandard welds on the ship. The Navy said the faulty welds did not impact the safety of the vessel.[7]
New Jerseys crest features the submarine in the foreground with the Iowa-class battleship in the background, surmounted by the motto, "Virtute Ignis Pro Libertas". This is a Latin translation of "Firepower for Freedom", which was also the battleship’s motto. On the side is the outline of the State of New Jersey with a portion of the famous painting Washington Crossing the Delaware set inside the borders. The references to Washington's victory at Trenton and to the battleship New Jersey are meant to show that the submarine is the heir to a long tradition. Centered is the faded image of the battleship USS New Jersey (BB62), representing the past, and the submarine USS New Jersey (SSN 796) taking the name and her legacy into the future. The devil horns, tail, and wings on the outside of the crest are a reference to the Jersey Devil, the legendary creature said to inhabit the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
The New Jersey was designed to accommodate a mixed-gender crew. Some of the design elements include doors to establish separate sleeping and showering compartments, lowering overhead valves, and providing steps for bunk beds and stacked laundry machines.[8]