Summary and Key Points: The U.S. Navy's Virginia-class submarine program is facing significant delays, with the USS Massachusetts (SSN-798) now expected to be delivered in early 2025 instead of late 2024.
-This marks yet another setback for the program, which is already running three years behind schedule. Huntington Ingalls Industries reported a minor disruption during testing, causing the delay.
-The USS Arkansas (SSN-800), the next submarine in line, is also behind schedule but is reportedly making progress. These delays highlight ongoing challenges in the construction of nuclear-powered submarines, with only three of the ten Block IV Virginia-class submarines currently deployed.
In February, Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipping launched the future Virginia-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine USS Massachusetts (SSN-798). The boat was transferred from a construction facility to a floating dry dock, the company announced. Once there, it began the final outfitting, testing, and crew certification in advance of the ship being handed over to the U.S. Navy.
SSN-798 is the 25th submarine of the Virginia class and the 12th that will be delivered by NNS, but that delivery is running late. Part of the issue is that NNS operates one of just two shipyards capable of designing and then building nuclear-powered submarines for the Navy.
"During the quarter, SSN-798 construction team experienced a minor disruption to Massachusetts’ test program due to some equipment replacement identified during testing,”HII president and CEO Chris Kastner told investors on an August 1 quarterly call with investment analysts. “The disruption has been resolved, and the team is back into the test program making steady progress. It does, however, shift delivery from late 2024 to early 2025. We are reaffirming our shipbuilding margin outlook for the year.
"We're marching towards delivery on 798," Kastner added. "We did have that minor move on the milestone, but they're making progress on the test program now. And it's a good team on it. It's a good crew. It's a good leadership. So I fully expect 798 will resolve at the beginning of next year."
Kastner also said that the future Virginia-class submarine USS Arkansas (SSN-800) – the next of the boats in line – was running late but was "making progress."
The future USS Massachusetts and USS Arkansas are two of 10 Block IV Virginia-class submarines. The program as a whole is now running about three years behind schedule. Just three boats of the block have been deployed.
When SSN-798 enters service, she will be the eighth vessel named for the Bay State, and the first since the South Dakota-class fast battleship USS Massachusetts (BB-59) was retired in 1947.
The first ship named for the New England state was a "Revenue-Marine" cutter that was in service for just one year. It was followed by a sloop that served with the U.S. Navy for about a decade until 1804.
Notably, two warships named USS Massachusetts were never completed. Those included the Kalamazoo-class monitor and a battleship of the first South Dakota class, which was canceled following the Washington Naval Treaty in 1923. Two battleships did bear the name, including BB-2, an Indiana-class battleship that saw action in the Spanish-American War, and the aforementioned BB-59.
The Navy will have to accept that later is better than never. Unlike those two battle wagons that never sailed, it does look like SSN-798 will finally enter service next year.
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
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