The US Navy has taken delivery of the USS Massachusetts (SSN 798), the 25th submarine in the Virginia-class series, from HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding. The nuclear-powered attack submarine is the 12th of its class delivered by the yard and the seventh Block IV configuration, which reduces maintenance downtime and increases operational deployments. Construction began in 2020, with a virtual keel-laying ceremony during the COVID-19 pandemic. The submarine was christened by Sheryl Sandberg in 2023 and launched into the James River in early 2024. Sea trials conducted in October assessed propulsion, maneuverability, navigation systems, and combat performance. Additional evaluations will continue ahead of commissioning next year. More than 10,000 shipbuilders and thousands of suppliers across the US contributed to the vessel’s development. The 2014 construction contract for the Virginia-class supports US plans to replace the aging Los Angeles-class fleet. Designed for both open-ocean and coastal operations, Virginia-class submarines measure 115–140 meters in length and carry a 280,000-horsepower reactor, pump-jet propulsion, and a range of advanced weapons, including torpedoes, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
