The testing marks a key milestone in the construction of Massachusetts, the 25th Virginia-class submarine and the 12th to be delivered by Newport News Shipbuilding. HII confirmed that testing will continue ahead of delivery to the U.S. Navy.
“Our entire team at Newport News Shipbuilding understands the importance of delivering capability to our fleet,” said NNS President Kari Wilkinson. “Proving capabilities through this first sea trial for Massachusetts is an important step in demonstrating this and we are honored to support the mission.”
The Virginia class represents the U.S. Navy’s next-generation attack submarines, built to replace the retiring Los Angeles-class vessels. These submarines are designed to seek and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships, carry out Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions, launch Tomahawk cruise missiles, and support Special Operations Forces and mine warfare.
To date, 23 Virginia-class submarines have been commissioned, with SSN 798 soon to follow. The class includes key design innovations such as photonics masts instead of traditional periscopes, a reconfigurable torpedo room to support SOF operations, and open architecture systems that allow for rapid technology upgrades.
Massachusetts is part of the Block III design, which introduced a new bow and two Virginia Payload Tubes, each capable of launching six Tomahawk missiles. These modifications simplify construction, reduce costs, and provide greater payload flexibility.
The Virginia-class programme continues to evolve, with future blocks incorporating additional payload modules and advanced capabilities to maintain undersea superiority in response to growing global submarine threats.
