USS New Jersey: The U.S. Navy Has a New Virginia-Class Attack Submarine
Summary: The USS New Jersey (BB-62), a World War II Iowa-class battleship, is currently being renovated at the Philadelphia Naval Yard to serve as a museum ship. Concurrently, a modern namesake, the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine New Jersey (SSN-796), has been delivered to the U.S. Navy by Newport News Shipbuilding.
-This submarine, designed for a variety of naval warfare missions, is the latest addition to a class intended to replace older models and enhance littoral combat capabilities.
-However, funding cuts pose challenges, with the Navy's FY25 budget proposing reductions in new submarine acquisitions amid shifting priorities towards unmanned systems and immediate operational needs.
Navy Welcomes Advanced Virginia-Class Submarine SSN-796 Amid Budget Cuts
The Iowa-class battleship USS New Jersey (BB-62) is currently undergoing a major renovation at the Philadelphia Naval Yard to help ensure the World War II warship is preserved as a museum ship for decades to come, and while her days as an active warship are now over, another vessel named for the Garden State will soon enter service.
Last week, HII's Newport News Shipbuilding division delivered the Virginia -class fast-attack submarine New Jersey (SSN-796) to the U.S. Navy. It is the eleventh boat of the class to be delivered by NNS, and the 23rd built as part of a teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat.
"It is a proud day for our entire team when we deliver a high-quality submarine like New Jersey to the fleet," said Jason Ward, NNS vice president of Virginia-class submarine construction. "The mission ahead for New Jersey and her crew is clear, and we applaud our shipbuilders for delivering this critical capability to the fleet, while maintaining our highest standards of safety and quality."
SSN-796 was christened in November 2021 at NNS by the ship's sponsor Susan DiMarco, a New Jersey resident, retired dentist, and wife of former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson. The latest USS New Jersey is expected to be commissioned later this year, the U.S. Navy reported.
The New Virginia-class Fast Attack Submarine
The Virginia-class, also known as the VA-class or 774-class, is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines in service with the U.S. Navy. The fast attack subs were conceived as a less expensive alternative to the Seawolf -class attack boats that were designed during the Cold War era, and to replace the older Los Angeles -class submarines.
The United States Navy's nuclear-powered Virginia-class cruise missile fast-attack submarines are noted for incorporating the latest in stealth, intelligence gathering, and weapons systems. The boats were designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions including anti-submarine warfare (ASW); anti-surface ship warfare (ASuW); strike warfare; special operations forces support; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR); irregular warfare; and mine warfare missions.
The Slow Boat to Service?
The sea service already has 23 of a planned 66 in service. The submarines will be acquired through at least 2043 and will remain in service with the U.S. Navy through at least 2060 – while the final boats built could operate into the 2070s and beyond.
However, the Virginia-class submarines could be headed for choppy waters.
As previously reported, the U.S. Navy's Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget request has called for numerous cuts, including to the Virginia-class program. The latest budget proposal includes money for only one Virginia -class attack submarine instead of the planned two. Even worse is the fact that while the U.S. Navy has been purchasing the fast attack submarines at a rate of two per year for the past four years, only an average of 1.2 submarines has been delivered annually.
The U.S. Navy's FY25 budget request has highlighted a strategic shift towards prioritizing current operations, personnel, and innovative technologies like unmanned systems – as these could yield faster results for the fleet.
The service is thus focused on the near-term, and considers the 2020s a decade of concern, with the potential for China to invade Taiwan before 2030.
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: Editor@nationalinterest.org.