PROCUREMENT: Navy Lays Keel for Latest Attack Submarine USS Oregon.

“Oregon is going to be put to work the minute it’s launched because the demand signal is at the highest level,” said U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, a Connecticut Democrat.

The keel-laying comes at a time when many in Congress and in the military are eager to get more submarines into the fleet. Groton, Connecticut-based Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia have an agreement to build two attack submarines annually.

The House and Senate Armed Services Committees have each approved bills to authorize building three submarines instead of two in some years, and also authorize additional funding to prepare for the increased work.

“It’s really a robust, bipartisan recognition that submarines are the stealthiest, strongest and most survivable among most of our naval assets,” said U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat.

The Oregon is one of a group of submarines with design changes so the submarines will need one less period in the shipyard for maintenance over their lifespan, according to the Navy. Consequently, they will be able to do one more deployment over their lifespan, for a total of 15 deployments.

The Virginia-class attack boats have been a rare procurement win for the Navy in recent years.