HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division (NNS) has delivered the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798) to the US Navy.
The delivery marks the official handover of the vessel from the shipbuilder to the US Navy, with further tests and trials scheduled before its formal commissioning.
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The future USS Massachusetts is anticipated to be commissioned in the spring.
Massachusetts is the 25th Virginia-class submarine produced through a long-standing arrangement between General Dynamics Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding.
The vessel represents the 7th out of 10 planned Block IV configuration submarines and is the 12th Virginia-class submarine that Newport News Shipbuilding has delivered to the Navy so far.
Newport News Shipbuilding president Kari Wilkinson said: “Delivering Massachusetts after its rigorous sea trials is an important milestone commitment for our team this year. We are absolutely steadfast in our resolve to increase the pace of submarine construction and see this as a solid step toward our overall objective.”
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By GlobalDataThe construction involved more than 10,000 personnel from both Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat, along with thousands of suppliers nationwide, including more than 20 based in Massachusetts.
Virginia-class Submarine programme manager captain Mike Hollenbach said: “I’m proud of the work thousands of shipbuilders and Navy personnel have put into reaching this important construction milestone. Together, we continue build the best submarines in the world.”
The nuclear-powered fast attack submarine Massachusetts was christened at Newport News Shipbuilding in May 2023 by ship sponsor Sheryl Sandberg, founder of Lean In, and former chief operating officer of social technology firm Meta.
Last month, Newport News Shipbuilding completed the first set of sea trials for the vessel, as part of preparations ahead of its official commissioning into active naval service.
The future USS Massachusetts becomes the fifth navy vessel to carry the name of the state.
The first one to carry the name was a steamer constructed in 1845, and the most recent predecessor was battleship BB 59, a South Dakota-class vessel commissioned in 1942.
Virginia-class submarines are designed for both deep ocean anti-submarine warfare and operations in coastal waters.
These submarines have a length of 377 feet (ft), a beam measuring 34ft, and can reach a submerged displacement of approximately 7,800 tonnes (t).
The vessels are equipped with 12 vertical missile launch tubes and four torpedo tubes of 533mm diameter.
The vertical launching system enables up to 16 Tomahawk submarine-launched cruise missiles to be fired at once.
