Ship maintainers get first glimpse into Virginia class.

• Author: Jean, Grace V.
• Position: USS Virginia

* GROTON, Conn.--The first of the Navy's newest class of attack submarines, USS Virginia (SSN-774), returned from its maiden deployment in April and is slated for its first scheduled maintenance later this year in Portsmouth, Maine.

"It will be the first opportunity to assess the condition of the ship after delivery in 2004," said Capt. Michael Jabaley, program manager of the Virginia-class submarines at Naval Sea Systems Command.

The boat will be at the yard for about a year and will offer the Navy a chance to examine how the tanks and pumps are holding up. After the scheduled maintenance is completed, the ship will go back to sea for another six to seven years.

USS Virginia departed last October from its homeport at New London Submarine Base, Conn., to serve in three different theaters, including the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf.

On the eve of Virginia's return to her homeport, Capt. Doug Arnold, who at the time was the commander of regional support group, the command overseeing the submarine maintenance organizations, sat down for an interview with National Defense.

Virginia experienced few maintenance issues on her deployment and she could turn around and go back to sea very quickly, he said.

Because the 377-foot long ship is larger than its...