USS Massachusetts (SSN-798)

Massachusetts in October 2025 during her sea trials
History
United States
NameMassachusetts
NamesakeCommonwealth of Massachusetts
Ordered28 April 2014[1]
BuilderNewport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
Laid down11 December 2020[2]
Launched23 February 2024
Sponsored bySheryl Sandberg[2]
Christened6 May 2023[3]
Commissioned28 March 2026
IdentificationHull symbol: SSN-798
Motto
  • Pro Patria
  • ("For Country")
StatusIn active service
General characteristics
Class & typeVirginia-class submarine
Displacement7,800 tons
Length377 ft (115 m)
Beam34 ft (10.4 m)
Draft32 ft (9.8 m)
PropulsionS9G reactor auxiliary diesel engine
Speed25 knots (29 mph; 46 km/h)
Endurancecan remain submerged for up to 3 months
Test depthgreater than 800 ft (244 m)
Complement
  • 15 officers
  • 120 enlisted
Armament12 VLS tubes, four 21 inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes for Mk-48 torpedoes BGM-109 Tomahawk

USS Massachusetts (SSN-798) is a Virginia-class nuclear powered attack submarine commissioned into the United States Navy on 28 March 2026. She is the 25th submarine of the class, and is named for the U.S. state of Massachusetts—the eighth such vessel.[4][a]

History

USS Massachusetts SSN-798 Crest

SSN-798 was part of a $17.6 billion contract awarded by the United States Navy to prime contractor General Dynamics Electric Boat to construct 10 Virginia-class submarines.[6] Ray Mabus, then Secretary of the Navy, announced the name Massachusetts on 8 November 2015 in an opinion piece for The Boston Globe.[7] She became the first Navy vessel to be named after the Commonwealth since the battleship USS Massachusetts (BB-59), which was decommissioned in 1947.[8] She became the eighth ship of the Navy or Revenue-Marine (precursor to the Coast Guard) to be named after the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.[4]

Her keel was laid 11 December 2020 at Newport News Shipbuilding, in a virtual ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] She was christened by ship sponsor Sheryl Sandberg on 6 May 2023.[3] In November 2023, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro advised that Boston would be the site of her ship commissioning.[9]

She completed her initial sea trials on 7 October 2025.[10] The Navy accepted delivery on 21 November 2025.[11] Her commissioning ceremony occurred on 28 March 2026 at the Conley Terminal in South Boston.[12] She was placed in commission with USS Constitution under tow nearby,[13] and with three Medal of Honor recipients in attendance: Thomas G. Kelley, Thomas Payne, and Ryan M. Pitts.[14]

On 17 August 2026, the Navy has decided that the USS Massachusetts is ready to proceed to the fleet without the usual post-shakedown availability (PSA) in dry dock.[15] Vice Adm. Rob Gaucher, Director of Submarine Programs stated that it is a “calculated risk.”[16]

Notes

  1. ↑ At the time of the commissioning of SSN-798, it was alternately reported as the fifth Navy vessel named after the Commonwealth, the first having been an 1845 steamer.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Naval Vessel Register".
  2. 1 2 3 "Huntington Ingalls Industries Authenticates Keel of Virginia-Class Attack Submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798)" (Press release). Huntington Ingalls Industries. 11 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  3. 1 2 "HII Christens-Virginia-Class Attack Submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798)" (Press release). HII. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Navy to Commission Submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798)". navy.mil (Press release). 27 March 2026. Retrieved 29 March 2026. SSN 798 is the eighth vessel named for the state of Massachusetts, with the first two dating back to early 1790s as ships of the U.S Revenue Cutter Service, the precursor to the Coast Guard.
  5. ↑ Casey, Michael (29 March 2026). "First submarine named after Massachusetts joins the Navy fleet". Boston.com. AP. Retrieved 29 March 2026. The Navy said this is the fifth vessel to be named after the state.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Navy Awards 'Largest Shipbuilding Contract' in Service History". USNI News. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  7. ↑ Mabus, Ray (8 November 2015). "New sub USS Massachusetts critical to growing fleet". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  8. ↑ Levenson, Eric (6 November 2015). "A nuclear attack sub will become the newest USS Massachusetts". Boston.com. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  9. ↑ Reynolds, Lance (15 November 2023). "Navy selects Boston as commissioning site for new USS Massachusetts nuclear attack submarine". Boston Herald. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  10. ↑ "HII Completes Initial Sea Trials of Virginia-Class Submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798)". HII. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  11. ↑ "Future USS Massachusetts Delivered to U.S. Navy". Naval Sea Systems Command. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  12. ↑ "Commissioning of the Submarine USS Massachusetts". ussmassachusetts.org. USS MASSACHUSETTS (SSN 798) Commissioning Committee. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
  13. ↑ MacQuarrie, Brian (28 March 2026). "Thousands cheer as USS Massachusetts, America's newest nuclear-powered submarine, is commissioned in South Boston". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
  14. ↑ McColgan, Flint (28 March 2026). "Nuclear attack submarine USS Massachusetts commissioned in Boston". Boston Herald. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
  15. ↑ Kantor, Jonathan H. (24 August 2026). "'Ready To Fight': US Navy Skips Final Trials For Fast-Attack Nuclear Submarine". SlashGear. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
  16. ↑ Casimiro, Christine (18 August 2026). "USS Massachusetts Ready for Fleet Tasking, Skips Shakedown Availability". The Defense Post. Retrieved 27 August 2026.

Further reading

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