The United States Navy (US Navy) received the future USS Massachusetts (SSN-798) on November 21, the 25th submarine of the Virginia class and the tenth under Block IV of the program. The delivery, carried out by Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at its Newport News shipyard, represents the transfer of the unit from the shipbuilder to the service, marking a new milestone in the modernization of the nuclear-powered attack submarine fleet.
According to what was reported by the U.S. Navy, the Massachusetts will now continue with a series of final tests and validations together with the future crew before its commissioning ceremony, preliminarily scheduled for mid-2026. “With each delivery of a Virginia-class submarine, the Navy strengthens its partnership with industry to maintain our undersea superiority,” highlighted Captain Mike Hollenbach, the program manager.
A key program to sustain the U.S. attack submarine fleet
The future USS Massachusetts of the U.S. Navy is the twelfth unit of the class built by Newport News Shipbuilding together with General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB), within the framework of the industrial agreement that has allowed the continuous production of these submarines since the early 2000s. It is the seventh submarine configured under Block IV, a variant that introduces improvements aimed at reducing maintenance times and increasing the number of units available during its service life.
The Virginia class constitutes the core of the U.S. submarine attack force, designed to gradually replace the older Los Angeles class. Its capabilities include advanced surveillance systems, enhanced stealth, integration with special operations forces, and the ability to carry out land-attack, antisubmarine, antisurface, and intelligence missions.
Background: initial trials and performance at sea
By December 2024, the U.S. Navy reported progress in the construction of the 27th submarine, which reflected the continuity of the program despite budgetary pressures. All of this was taking into account the ongoing naval development and construction programs, such as the new Columbia-class nuclear ballistic missile submarines, intended to replace the current Ohio class.
Then, as had surfaced in October, the Massachusetts successfully completed its initial sea trials, with the aim of testing the operability of its propulsion systems, sensors, and maneuverability in the test area off the East Coast. Those evaluations confirmed that the platform was ready to move toward the final phase of pre-delivery certifications, thus consolidating progress in the Block IV production schedule.
To conclude, it is important to highlight that the new submarine will mark an unprecedented technological leap compared to its predecessors, integrating into the force with multidomain warfare capabilities that ensure its strategic relevance for the coming decades.
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