Newport News Shipbuilding Delivers Future USS Massachusetts to U.S. Navy, Marking 25th Virginia-Class Submarine
- MM24 News Desk
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
Credit: US Navy
Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding has delivered the future USS Massachusetts (SSN 798) to the U.S. Navy, marking the 25th Virginia-class attack submarine and seventh Block IV configured vessel. The submarine, christened by former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg in 2023, now undergoes final testing before spring commissioning as the fifth U.S. Navy ship to bear the Massachusetts name.
In a significant advancement for American undersea warfare capabilities, Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) has delivered the future USS Massachusetts (SSN 798) to the U.S. Navy, reinforcing the service's submarine dominance amid growing global maritime competition.
This vessel represents not just another submarine delivery but the 25th Virginia-class attack submarine to join the fleet and the seventh configured with Block IV enhancements that extend operational availability and reduce lifetime costs.
The November 21 delivery marks the formal transfer from builder to operator and underscores the successful partnership between NNS and General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) in co-producing what many consider the world's most advanced attack submarines.The delivery ceremony, while procedural in nature, carried substantial strategic weight.
Capt. Mike Hollenbach, Virginia Class Submarine program manager, emphasized the broader implications, stating, “With each Virginia-class submarine delivery, the Navy strengthens its partnership with the shipbuilding industry to maintain our undersea dominance.” His words highlighted the critical relationship between military needs and industrial capability that has become increasingly important as peer competitors expand their own submarine fleets.
“I’m proud of the work thousands of shipbuilders and Navy personnel have put into reaching this important construction milestone. Together, we continue to build the best submarines in the world,” he added, according to the Navy's official announcement.
What makes the Virginia-class submarines so vital to modern naval strategy? These vessels represent a quantum leap in undersea warfare technology, combining enhanced stealth capabilities with sophisticated surveillance systems and special warfare enhancements that provide what officials describe as an "asymmetrical advantage" beneath the waves.
The future USS Massachusetts specifically brings what the Navy characterizes as a "significant warfighting capability" to the fleet, capable of executing missions ranging from open-ocean anti-submarine warfare to clandestine intelligence gathering and special forces deployment. This multi-mission flexibility makes the Virginia-class particularly valuable in an era of diverse maritime threats.
The Block IV configuration of the USS Massachusetts represents evolutionary improvements over earlier variants. The Navy has focused on enhancing operational availability while reducing total ownership costs through design modifications that extend planned maintenance intervals.
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These submarines are built with a 33-year service life in mind, during which they'll undergo multiple deployments and maintenance periods. The Block IV improvements specifically address lessons learned from operating earlier Virginia-class boats, implementing design changes that increase component reliability and reduce time spent in maintenance availability. This means more time at sea conducting missions and less time in shipyards undergoing repairs.
The christening ceremony for the future USS Massachusetts took place on May 6, 2023, at the NNS shipyard in Newport News, Virginia, with the ship's sponsor, Sheryl Sandberg, former Chief Operating Officer of Meta, performing the traditional breaking of the champagne bottle against the hull.
The selection of a prominent technology executive as sponsor reflects the increasingly technical nature of modern submarine warfare and the intersection between Silicon Valley innovation and military technology development. Sandberg's role continues a long tradition of civilian participation in Navy ship commissioning ceremonies, symbolizing the connection between the military and the society it serves.
The name Massachusetts carries profound historical significance within naval tradition. This vessel becomes the fifth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name, continuing a lineage that began with a steamer built in 1845. The most famous predecessor was the battleship USS Massachusetts (BB 59), a South Dakota-class battleship that earned eleven battle stars for its extensive service in World War II before being decommissioned in 1947.
That legendary warship now serves as a museum ship in Fall River, Massachusetts, where it educates visitors about naval history. The newest USS Massachusetts inherits this legacy while operating in a completely different warfare domain—the silent, submerged world of modern submarine operations.
The journey from delivery to operational status involves rigorous final testing. Before the submarine officially joins the fleet, the vessel and its crew will undergo a comprehensive series of tests and trials designed to verify every system and capability.
These evaluations ensure the submarine is fully prepared for its multi-mission requirements, from testing weapon systems to validating stealth characteristics and emergency procedures. The crew, who have been training for this moment for years, will work alongside shipbuilders and Navy test personnel to identify any issues requiring resolution before the formal commissioning ceremony scheduled for this spring.
The delivery of SSN 798 represents a notable achievement for the Newport News Shipbuilding team specifically—this marks the 12th Virginia-class submarine delivered by the Virginia-based shipyard. The division of labor between NNS and General Dynamics Electric Boat has proven remarkably successful, with each shipyard bringing specialized expertise to the complex construction process.
This industrial partnership has become increasingly important as the Navy seeks to maintain its undersea advantage while navigating supply chain challenges and workforce development needs in a specialized shipbuilding sector.
As geopolitical competition intensifies in undersea domains, particularly in the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic theaters, the addition of another Virginia-class submarine provides the Navy with crucial capability at a pivotal time.
These submarines can operate in both deep ocean environments and shallower coastal waters, making them versatile assets for everything from deterrence missions to intelligence collection. Their stealth characteristics allow them to operate in contested areas where surface ships might be vulnerable, providing commanders with options when tensions escalate.
The future USS Massachusetts represents the continuing evolution of American sea power at a time when submarine capabilities are becoming increasingly decisive in great power competition. As the vessel prepares for its commissioning this spring and subsequent operational deployments, it carries forward both the proud legacy of its namesake ships and the heavy responsibility of maintaining undersea superiority in an increasingly challenging global security environment.