The U.S. Department of Defense announced on February 1, 2021, that Huntington Ingalls Industries, Newport News Shipbuilding division, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $12,500,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-4316 to continue performance of the repair, maintenance and upgrade efforts on the USS Helena (SSN 725) Dry-Docking Selected Restricted Availability.
Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link
USS Helena (SSN 725) Los Angeles-class attack submarine (Picture source: Huntington Ingalls Industries)
Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by April 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $12,500,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Newport News, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
USS HELENA (SSN 725) is a Los Angeles-class attack submarine that was launched on 28 June 1986 and commissioned on 11 July 1987. The Los Angeles-class sometimes called the LA-class or the 688-class is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines that forms the backbone of the U.S. Navy's submarine force. Sixty-two submarines of this class have been completed. As of 2020, 32 of the Los Angeles class are still in commission and 30 are retired from service.
The USS HELENA (SSN 725) is powered by one S6G nuclear reactor (150-165 MW), two steam turbines (30,000-33,500) shp, shaft and one secondary propulsion motor developing 325 hp (242 kW). The top speed of the submarine is about 37 knots (69 km/h) and she has an endurance of 90 days with unlimited range.
The USS Helena four 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes, ten Mk48 ADCAP torpedo reloads, Tomahawk land attack missile block 3 SLCM range 1,700 nautical miles (3,100 km), Harpoon anti-surface ship missile range 70 nautical miles (130 km), and mine laying Mk67 mobile Mk60 captor mines.
