The U.S. Navy Has a New Virginia-Class Submarine

More Virginia-Class Submarines: The U.S. Navy’s latest Virginia-class submarine, the USS Idaho (SSN-799), was launched at General Dynamics Electric Boat facility in Rhode Island.

Big Deal: This milestone marks a significant step as the submarine prepares for final outfitting, testing, and crew certification.

History Made: Named after the Gem State, the USS Idaho honors Idaho’s naval history, including the Navy’s Acoustic Research Detachment on Lake Pend Oreille. This is the fifth U.S. Navy vessel named for Idaho, continuing a legacy that dates back to the 19th century.

U.S. Navy Launched Latest Virginia-class Submarine: Meet the USS Idaho

The United States Navy’s shipbuilding efforts continue to run way behind schedule, but this month, the latest Virginia-class nuclear-powered cruise missile fast attack submarine was launched at the General Dynamics Electric Boat facility in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.

The “float off” marked the latest “construction milestone” for the future USS Idaho (SSN-799), as it moved from Electric Boat’s construction facilities and into the water for the very first time. It will be followed by final outfitting, testing, and crew certification, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) announced.

“The launch is a testament to the strong collaboration the Navy has with its shipbuilding partners. Idaho will be a valuable national asset and source of pride for our sailors, the shipbuilders, and all Americans for years to come,” said Capt. Mike Hollenbach, Virginia Class Submarine program manager.

Construction began on the future USS Idaho, the 26th Virginia-class fast attack submarine, in 2017.

Waters From a Landlocked State

It was on March 16, 2024, that Stackley – the daughter of a U.S. Navy sailor and spouse of the former Naval officer Sean Stackley – christened the boat with water she has collected from several lakes in Idaho, including Lake Pend Oreille, Payette Lake, Henry’s Lake, and Redfish Lake.

“Though landlocked, the state of Idaho prides itself in its rich Naval history and continuing contributions to the fleet,” the Department of Defense explained. “The Navy’s Acoustic Research Detachment on Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho’s largest and deepest body of water, is a state-of-the-art facility that supports research, development, testing, and evaluation of submarine acoustic stealth technology and propulsor design.”

At 1,150 feet in depth, Lake Pend Oreille is also the quietest body of water, providing an ideal environment for acoustic testing without the attendant problems and costs of open ocean operations. It has many acoustic properties that are similar to the open ocean but with far less background noise. Tests can also be conducted without fears that the tests can be monitored by foreign governments.

The U.S. Navy’s state-of-the-art facility supports the research, development, testing, and evaluation of submarine acoustic stealth technology and propulsor design, as well as the calibration of full-scale acoustic transducers.

Fifth Vessel Named for Idaho

SSN-799 is the fifth U.S. Navy ship named for the Gem State and the first in more than a century since the New Mexico-class battleship BB-42 was commissioned in 1919.

The first USS Idaho was a wooden steam sloop that was later converted to a full-rigged sailing ship. According to the USS Idaho Commissioning Committee, “At first, the Navy didn’t want the USS Idaho, claiming she wasn’t fast enough. However, when the ship’s sails were added, it changed her destiny. One passage in particular caught the U.S. Navy’s attention. It was on a voyage to Japan in 1868 when the USS Idaho reached speeds of more than eighteen knots, making her one of the fastest sailing ships at the time.” That vessel was damaged in a typhoon and was decommissioned in 1873.

The next vessel named for Idaho was BB-24, a pre-Dreadnought Mississippi-class battleship that was launched in 1905 and sold to Greece just before the outbreak of the First World War. Renamed Lemnos, she saw little service during World War I, but was employed in the Greco-Turkish War that followed – and was later converted to a barracks ship. The former Idaho was heavily damaged during the German invasion of Greece in the spring of 1941 and was broken up after the Second World War.

A third USS Idaho (SP-545) was a motor boat employed by the U.S. Navy during the First World War for patrol duties and returned to her civilian owners after the Armistice was signed in November 1918.

The 32,000-ton BB-42 was the last vessel before the Virginia-class fast attack submarine to be named for Idaho, and she saw action in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. BB-42 was among the U.S. Navy warships that were present in Tokyo Bay in September 1945 when Japan formally surrendered, ending World War II.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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