All-domain defense and technologies partner Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) shared on August 10, 2022 that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has achieved a significant milestone in construction of Virginia-class submarine USS Massachusetts (SSN-798).
Shipbuilders working on Massachusetts recently reached pressure hull complete, meaning that all of the hull sections were joined to form a single, watertight unit. This is the last major construction milestone before the submarine is launched.
«Our highly skilled shipbuilders are driven to serve the nation by delivering great submarines that help ensure America’s undersea superiority», said Jason Ward, Newport News Shipbuilding vice president of Virginia-class submarine construction. «Reaching this point in construction demonstrates our commitment to getting Massachusetts ready as soon as possible to become part of the U.S. Navy fleet».
Newport News Shipbuilding is one of only two shipyards capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines. The advanced capabilities of Virginia-class submarines increase firepower, maneuverability and stealth.
This milestone on Massachusetts comes following the delivery of USS Montana (SSN-794) and launch of USS New Jersey (SSN-796) at Newport News Shipbuilding earlier in 2022, as the shipyard continues to invest in its workforce and facilities to make steady progress on delivering these important assets to the U.S. Navy.
Massachusetts is the 25th Virginia-class fast attack submarine.
General Characteristics
| Builder | General Dynamics Electric Boat Division and Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. – Newport News Shipbuilding |
| Date Deployed | October 3, 2004 |
| Propulsion | One GE PWR S9G* nuclear reactor, two turbines, one shaft; 40,000 hp/30 MW |
| Length | 377 feet/114.8 m |
| Beam | 33 feet/10.0584 m |
| Hull Diameter | 34 feet/10.3632 m |
| Displacement | Approximately 7,800 tons/7,925 metric tons submerged |
| Speed | 25+ knots/28+ mph/46.3+ km/h |
| Diving Depth | 800+ feet/244+ m |
| Crew | 132: 15 officers; 117 enlisted |
| Armament: Tomahawk missiles | Two 87-in/2.2 m Virginia Payload Tubes (VPTs), each capable of launching 6 Tomahawk cruise missiles |
| Armament: MK-48 ADCAP (Advanced Capability) Mod 7 heavyweight torpedoes | 4 torpedo tubes |
| Weapons | MK-60 CAPTOR (Encapsulated Torpedo) mines, advanced mobile mines and UUVs (Unmanned Underwater Vehicles) |
* – Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories
Nuclear Submarine Lineup
Block IV
| Ship | Yard | Christening | Commissioned | Homeport |
| SSN-792 Vermont | EB | 10-20-18 | 04-18-20 | Groton, Connecticut |
| SSN-793 Oregon | EB | 10-05-19 | 05-28-22 | Groton, Connecticut |
| SSN-794 Montana | NNS | 09-12-20 | 06-25-22 | Norfolk, Virginia |
| SSN-795 Hyman G. Rickover | EB | 07-31-21 | ||
| SSN-796 New Jersey | NNS | 11-13-21 | ||
| SSN-797 Iowa | EB | Under Construction | ||
| SSN-798 Massachusetts | NNS | Under Construction | ||
| SSN-799 Idaho | EB | Under Construction | ||
| SSN-800 Arkansas | NNS | Under Construction | ||
| SSN-801 Utah | EB | Under Construction |