IRIA News

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The U.S. Navy has commissioned its 24th Virginia-class newest nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine USS Iowa (SSN 797). The submarine entered service after a ceremony held at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, on April 5, 2025.

The SSN 797 is a state-of-the-art fast-attack submarine, equipped with advanced technology that enables silent operation and highly sensitive sonar systems for detecting and tracking enemy submarines and surface vessels. The Iowa is the first fast attack submarine specifically designed and constructed to include private spaces and accommodations tailored to meet the needs of female crew members.

USS Iowa was engineered to support the Navy’s broad range of missions, featuring stealth, surveillance systems, and enhancements for special warfare operations. It is powered by a nuclear reactor that is designed to last the ship’s entire service life without refueling, which helps lower long-term costs and maximize deployment time. The submarine was constructed at General Dynamics Electric Boat’s shipyard in Groton, Connecticut.

The commissioning ceremony was attended by several key officials including, U.S. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, U.S. Fleet Forces commander and senior naval officer Adm. Daryl Caudle, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, U.S. Submarine Force commander Vice Adm. Robert Gaucher, executive officer of the USS Iowa Lt. Cmdr. Scott Carper as well as representatives from General Dynamics Corp.’s Electric Boat shipyard, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney of Connecticut.

U.S. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, who attended the commissioning ceremony, praised the crew and the shipbuilders in his speech. He said that the ceremony offers an “opportunity to show Navy lethality and our unmatched undersea superiority.”

Phelan said, “It is an honor to commission the Navy’s newest nuclear-powered attack submarine, here at Groton, the submarine capital of the world. USS Iowa will make our fleet stronger and more lethal. As Iowa goes to sea, she does so with one mission: to ensure that America’s adversaries never doubt our resolve.”

Fast-attack submarines, vessels like the Iowa, serve as versatile assets supporting five of the Navy’s six core maritime strategic roles—sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence.

The attack submarines are designed to locate and eliminate enemy submarines and surface vessels, project power ashore with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Special Operations Forces (SOF), conduct Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, support battle group operations, and execute mine warfare.

These submarines are built for superior performance across various combat and support missions, including anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, strike missions, intelligence gathering, special operations, and mine countermeasures. They enhance U.S. power projection through the deployment of special operations teams and the launch of Tomahawk cruise missiles, playing a critical role in crisis response and conflict deterrence.

USS Iowa submarine’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Gregory Coy praised the crew, shipbuilders, and commissioning committee and called the event “a historic milestone”.

Cmdr. Gregory Coy said, “This event is significant for both the life of a submarine and for the amazing people from the Hawkeye State. To the plank owners, the shipbuilders, the commissioning committee, and our Navy and Submarine Force leaders, this is your submarine.”

He further highlighted, “I am consistently humbled at what we have accomplished,” adding that “Today, we become the ‘USS’ Iowa, and I intend to take her to the frontline, continuing the Navy’s overwhelming display of undersea dominance and lethality.”

Virginia-class submarines

The Virginia-class submarines incorporate several innovations that significantly enhance their warfighting capabilities, particularly in littoral (coastal) operations. These submarines are equipped with specialized features to support special operations forces (SOF), including a reconfigurable torpedo room that can accommodate a large number of SOF personnel and their equipment for extended deployments, as well as future off-board payloads. They also feature a large lockout trunk (LOT) for divers.

Traditional periscopes in Virginia-class submarines have been replaced by two photonics masts, which are equipped with visible and infrared digital cameras mounted on telescoping arms. This advancement has allowed the control room to be relocated down one deck and away from the hull’s curvature, providing more space and an improved layout that enhances the commanding officer’s situational awareness.

The Virginia-class submarines are designed for long-term adaptability through the extensive use of modular construction, open architecture, and commercial off-the-shelf components. This approach ensures the class remains state-of-the-art throughout its operational lifespan by enabling the rapid integration of new systems and payloads.

USS Iowa Specifications

• Length: 377 ft.
• Beam: 34 ft.
• Displacement (Weight): 7,800 tons (equivalent to 65 blue whales)
• Speed: 25+ knots (28+ miles per hour)
• Maximum Depth: 800+ ft.
• Crew: 15 officers, 117 enlisted
• Armament: 4 Torpedo Tubes, 2 Virginia Payload Tubes (VPT), each capable of holding 6 vertical-launch Tomahawk missiles that can strike targets over 1,200 miles away.