Yesterday, the American company Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) reported that the 27th Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine has officially been launched to join the U.S. Navy. The vessel will bear the name USS Arkansas (SSN 800). Specifically, the new submarine was launched into the James River by Newport News Shipbuilding, one of HII’s divisions.
According to the official statement, shipyard workers moved the submarine from the facility where it was under construction to a floating dry dock, where it was launched. Afterwards, the future USS Arkansas was towed to the shipyard’s submarine pier, where it will undergo final outfitting ahead of a lengthy series of sea trials prior to entering service, alongside crew training and certification.
Following the successful launch, Bryan Caccavale, vice president of Navy programs at Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), stated: “We are committed to increasing the pace and productivity of submarine construction for the United States Navy. Nuclear-powered submarines are critical to our national security, and we’re proud to see Arkansas in the water.”
It’s worth noting that while Arkansas will be the 27th submarine to join the Virginia class, it is the 13th to be built by Newport News Shipbuilding. In that regard, it’s also important to highlight that the Arkansas is part of the class’s Block IV variant, which incorporates a series of design changes compared to the previous version—focused primarily on reducing total ownership cost (RTOC). These updates are expected to extend component lifespan and increase the submarine’s operational availability for future deployments.
At the same time, while the U.S. Navy is still in the process of receiving its Block IV Virginia-class submarines, it has also moved forward with the development and procurement of the next variant, known as Block V, which will consist of twelve units. Among the most recent developments is the acquisition of the final two submarines of that group: the future USS Baltimore (SSN-812) and USS Atlanta (SSN-813). This significant order came with an investment of nearly $18.5 billion, split between manufacturers General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp. and Huntington Ingalls.
*Image credits: HII
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