USS North Carolina (SSN-777) Submarine Model. Dive with the USS North Carolina (SSN-777) Submarine Model again in this handcrafted 20-inch submarine. Each piece is carved from wood and handpainted to provide a piece you’ll love. Length – 20 inches. US Veteran Owned Business. The product is not intended to be used by children 12 years and younger. The contract to build her was awarded to Northrop Grumman Newport News on 30 September 1998 and her keel was laid down on 24 May 2004. She was launched on 5 May 2007. North Carolina was commissioned on 3 May 2008 in Wilmington, North Carolina. It is additionally unique in the U. History The contract to build her was awarded to Northrop Grumman Newport News (then called Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company) in Newport News, Virginia on 30 September 1998 and her keel was laid down on 22 May 2004. She was christened on 21 April 2007 sponsored by Linda Bowman, wife of Admiral Frank L. “Skip” Bowman, the former director of Naval Reactors. The boat has physical connections to previous North Carolinas. Sections of the teak decking from previous North Carolina are reused within the submarine, and several pieces from a silver serving set made for the armored cruiser ACR-12, then transferred through the state governor to the battleship will be used aboard SSN-777. North Carolina joined the fleet on 21 February 2008, after problems with the boat’s steam valve and internal piping system had forced two delays in the acceptance of the vessel. The submarine joined the U. Navy’s Atlantic Fleet based in New London, Connecticut. In 2010, North Carolina changed homeports from Naval Submarine Base New London to Naval Station Pearl Harbor. [6] She left Groton for Pearl Harbor on 22 July 2010 and arrived at her new homeport, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, on Monday, 15 November 2010 after her four-month transfer activities. During the transfer, the officers and crew of North Carolina conducted a series of exercises designed to test the boat’s new combat systems and stealth capabilities. North Carolina is the third Virginia-class attack submarine to be homeported at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and is assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 1. Received squadron 1 battle E for year 2015.