History: USS West Virginia SSBN-736

The USS West Virginia (SSBN-736), is ballistic missile submarine of the Ohio class. The USS West Virginia (SSBN-736) is the third ship of the United States Navy named after the 35th state. The USS West Virginia SSBN-736 was awarded to the Electric Boat Division (unit of the General Dynamics Corporation) in Groton, Connecticut on 21 November 1983. The keel was laid down on 24 October 1987 and the submarine was launched on 14 October 1989. The USS West Virginia SSBN-736 was sponsored by Mrs. Robert C. Byrd, and was commissioned on 20 October 1990, under the command of Captain J.R. Harvey in command of the Blue Crew and Captain Donald McDermott in command of the Gold Crew. West Virginia in fiction In the novel Debt of honor from author Tom Clancy, the West Virginia is one of the submarines sent to deal the Japanese after the invasion of the Marianas Islands.

USS West Virginia SSBN-736

||| || Awarded:|21 November 1983|Displacement:|16765 tons (surfaced); 18750 tons (submerged)
Laid down:|24 October 1987|Length:|170.69 meters (560 feet)
Launched:|14 October 1989|Beam:|12.8 meters (42 feet)
Commissioned:|20 October 1990|Draught:|11.5 meters (38 feet)
Fate:|Active in service as of 2007|Propulsion:|One S8G reactor
Homeport:|Kings Bay, Georgia|Speed:|more then 20 knots (37 km/h)
| |Complement: |13 officers, 140 men
| |Armament: |MK-48 Torpedoes, 24 Ã