US Navy Takes Delivery of Virginia-Class Submarine USS Massachusetts (SSN-798)
The U.S. Navy has taken delivery of its 25th Virginia-class fast-attack submarine, the future USS Massachusetts (SSN-798), according to Navy and industry officials.
Built through a modular construction effort shared between HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia and General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut, Massachusetts was christened in 2023 and completed its first sea trials in October 2025. The submarine was formally delivered on Friday. “Delivering Massachusetts after its rigorous sea trials is an important milestone for our team this year,” said Kari Wilkinson, president of Newport News Shipbuilding. “We remain fully committed to accelerating submarine construction, and this delivery represents a solid step toward that goal.”
The submarine is scheduled to be commissioned in Boston Harbor in the spring of 2026, according to Naval Sea Systems Command. The exact date will be announced by the commissioning committee.
The delivery of Massachusetts is one of several major milestones for the Navy in recent weeks. The service also, Commissioned its final Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship, Accepted the delivery of a future Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and Christened the future Virginia-class USS Utah (SSN-801).
On Saturday, the USS Pierre (LCS-38) entered service during a ceremony in Panama City, Florida. Constructed by Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama, Pierre is the 19th and final all-aluminum Independence-class trimaran, marking the end of the type’s production line. The ship was delivered in July.
The Pierre commissioning ceremony included several senior officials, among them Navy Secretary John Phelan, U.S. Senators John Thune and Ashley Moody, U.S. Representative Neal Dunn, Rear Adm. Jeff Jurgemeyer, and Austal USA President Michelle Kruger. The master of ceremonies was Lt. Cmdr. Audrey Munji, Pierre’s executive officer. The ship will now transit to its new homeport in San Diego, California.
Separately, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works delivered the future USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG-124) on Monday. The destroyer was christened in July 2023 and is expected to be commissioned next year, likely joining the Atlantic Fleet.
The future USS Utah (SSN-801) was christened on October 25 at Electric Boat in Groton. The ceremony was attended by more than 3,000 guests. Keel laying for Utah, the 28th Virginia-class submarine, took place on September 4, 2021. It will be the second U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name Utah, following the Florida-class battleship BB-31, commissioned in 1911 and sunk during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, where 58 sailors lost their lives.
