Virginia-Class Submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798) Completes Initial Sea Trials

On October 7, 2025, Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division announced the successful completion of initial sea trials for the U.S. Navy’s Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, Massachusetts (SSN 798). This milestone marks a significant phase in the submarine’s development and readiness for operational deployment.

Key Aspects of the Sea Trials

The sea trials spanned several days, during which the collaborative team from NNS and the U.S. Navy evaluated crucial systems and components of the submarine. The trials included:

• First Submergence: This was the submarine’s inaugural submerged operation.
• High-Speed Maneuvers: Both surface and submerged maneuvers were conducted to test the vessel’s agility and responsiveness.

Following these sea trials, further testing will be conducted at NNS as preparations continue for the submarine’s eventual delivery to the Navy.

Specifications and Highlights

Massachusetts represents the 25th submarine in the Virginia-class series, with the construction history including:

• Ordered: April 2014
• Laid Down: December 2020
• Launched: February 23, 2024
• Expected Commissioning: Spring 2026

As the seventh Block IV Virginia-class SSN, Massachusetts introduces important enhancements, including:

• Reduced Maintenance Cycles: Block IV submarines require only three major maintenance periods compared to four in earlier blocks.
• Exclusion of the Virginia Payload Module: Notably, Massachusetts does not include this feature, which supports Tomahawk cruise missile operations and will be introduced with the subsequent Block V submarines, starting with Arizona.

Statement from Leadership

Kari Wilkinson, President of NNS, emphasized the commitment of the Newport News Shipbuilding team in delivering advanced capabilities to the Navy. She articulated that validating the systems through the initial sea trials represents a crucial step in supporting the Navy’s mission objectives.

Future Production Plans

To date, the U.S. Navy has commissioned 24 Virginia-class SSNs, with a total of 66 submarines planned as part of this strategic fleet expansion. The ongoing development and successful trials of submarines like Massachusetts underscore the Navy’s commitment to maintaining a robust and modern submarine force.

Figure: HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division announced the successful completion of initial sea trials for the U.S. Navy Virginia-class attack submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798).

This successful milestone reinforces the strategic trajectory of Virginia-class submarines in enhancing the U.S. Navy’s undersea warfare capabilities and operational readiness in an evolving global security landscape.