The sleek hull of the USS Arkansas (SSN 800) slid into the James River on July 2, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the U.S. Navy’s relentless pursuit of undersea dominance. Built by Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at the storied Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) facility, the launch of Arkansas underscores the evolution of America’s premier fast attack submarine class—one defined by stealth, lethality, and strategic reach.
As the 27th Virginia-class submarine and the 13th delivered by NNS, Arkansas embodies the cutting-edge advances found in the Block IV configuration—submarines optimized for affordability, sustainability, and warfighting relevance in an era of renewed great power competition.
The Virginia-class submarine program, launched in the late 1990s, was conceived to replace the aging Los Angeles-class boats and to deliver a more versatile and affordable undersea platform. As the class matured, the U.S. Navy adopted a block-based procurement model to iterate technological upgrades and reduce long-term costs.
Block IV, which includes ten boats—Arkansas among them—represents a calculated leap forward. The most striking advancement is lifecycle efficiency: Block IV submarines are built to reduce major maintenance periods from four to three over a 33-year service life. This strategic change enables each submarine to complete 15 full deployments instead of 14—a seemingly modest increase that translates to more time at sea and enhanced fleet readiness.
At 377 feet long, with a beam of 34 feet and submerged displacement of 7,800 tons, Arkansas mirrors the external dimensions of its predecessors. But internally, she is optimized for lower cost of ownership, better maintainability, and mission flexibility.
At the heart of Arkansas is the S9G nuclear reactor—a marvel of naval propulsion engineering. Designed to last the entire lifespan of the submarine without the need for refueling, the S9G reactor powers a pump-jet propulsor that offers enhanced stealth compared to traditional propeller systems.
This reactor-propulsor combination enables the submarine to exceed submerged speeds of 25 knots and operate at depths greater than 800 feet—parameters that are closely guarded but widely regarded as benchmarks of superiority. Nuclear power ensures virtually unlimited range, allowing Arkansas to stay submerged for months, limited only by food and crew endurance.
Arkansas is a product of an intricate construction-sharing agreement between the only two U.S. shipyards capable of building nuclear submarines: Huntington Ingalls Industries (NNS) and General Dynamics Electric Boat. This partnership divides production for maximum efficiency and industrial resilience.
NNS constructs the bow, sail, stern, torpedo room, and living quarters. Electric Boat, based in Groton, Connecticut, builds the control room and engine room. The two companies alternate final assembly and delivery, an approach that distributes workload while maximizing throughput to meet the Navy’s ambitious shipbuilding goals.
Construction practices feature modularity and innovation. Pre-outfitted modules—or “rafts”—are inserted into hull sections, reducing labor in tight spaces and improving worker safety. Over 4,000 suppliers from across the United States contribute components and systems, making the Virginia-class program not only a military imperative but also a vast industrial ecosystem.
Arkansas is bristling with a diverse and formidable array of weapons. The submarine features two Virginia Payload Tubes (VPTs), each capable of launching six Tomahawk cruise missiles, enabling precision land-attack capabilities over ranges exceeding 1,000 miles. These tubes replaced the 12 smaller vertical launch system (VLS) tubes found in earlier blocks.
In addition, four 21-inch torpedo tubes allow the deployment of heavyweight Mk-48 ADCAP torpedoes, as well as UGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles. These weapons provide Arkansas with a flexible punch against surface and subsurface threats.
The submarine can also deploy advanced mobile mines and unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs) for reconnaissance or special missions. A Dry Deck Shelter and compatibility with the Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS) enable clandestine special operations, positioning Arkansas as a critical enabler of the Navy SEALs and other elite units.
Modern undersea warfare depends as much on information dominance as on firepower. Arkansas is outfitted with the AN/BYG-1 Combat System, which integrates tactical control and payload systems. This architecture supports simultaneous tracking of targets, dynamic mission planning, and real-time decision-making.
Sensor suites include the Large Aperture Bow (LAB) sonar, wide-aperture fiber-optic flank arrays, high-frequency chin and sail-mounted sonars, and towed arrays such as the TB-29. These systems enable the submarine to detect adversaries from great distances, while staying virtually undetectable itself.
For navigation and periscopic operations, traditional periscopes have been replaced by photonic masts. These masts, located in the sail, use high-resolution digital cameras, infrared sensors, and laser rangefinders to feed imagery to the control center, now located deeper inside the hull for improved survivability. Optical fiber cables transmit the data instantly, enabling secure and seamless observation in contested waters.
The submarine also carries the AN/BLQ-10 electronic warfare suite, enhancing detection and deception against enemy sensors and communications.
While Block IV submarines like Arkansas incorporate a number of enhancements, they serve primarily as transition platforms bridging the legacy Virginia boats and the future of undersea dominance. The upcoming Block V introduces the Virginia Payload Module (VPM)—a 84-foot hull insert that will increase the Tomahawk payload from 12 to 40, raising total weapons capacity to about 65 per boat.
Block IV boats, however, maintain readiness and production tempo as the Navy prepares to phase out the aging Ohio-class SSGNs by 2028. The SSGNs currently carry up to 154 Tomahawk missiles each. Although Virginia-class boats cannot match that capacity individually, their superior stealth and broader mission versatility offset the numerical gap.
Notably, the Block IV submarines will play a vital role in future strategic commitments, including the AUKUS security partnership. Under this trilateral agreement, the U.S. will transfer up to five Virginia-class submarines to Australia by the 2030s, expanding allied capacity in the Indo-Pacific.
The launch of Arkansas also shines a light on the broader challenges facing the U.S. shipbuilding industry. Skilled labor shortages, supply chain constraints, and rising costs have all threatened to delay the Navy’s two-per-year Virginia-class production rate.
In response, Congress and the Department of Defense have authorized multiyear procurement contracts and long-lead-time purchases for Block VI and discussions of a potential Block VIII, even as the Navy lays the groundwork for its next-generation SSN(X) submarine.
Both Electric Boat and NNS have invested heavily in workforce development, automation, and supplier stabilization to meet demand. The success of these initiatives will determine whether the U.S. can maintain undersea superiority amid rapidly advancing Chinese and Russian submarine programs.
The USS Arkansas (SSN 800) has been over a decade in the making:
- Ordered: April 28, 2014
- Keel Laid: November 19, 2022
- Pressure Hull Completion: September 27, 2023
- Christened: December 7, 2024
- Launched: July 2, 2025
- Commissioning Expected: 2026
As the submarine now undergoes final outfitting, testing, and sea trials, it will also begin certification of its crew—elite sailors who will form the “plankowner” team of the new warship.
The commissioning of Arkansas comes amid a volatile strategic environment. The U.S. Navy faces mounting challenges in the Indo-Pacific, the Arctic, and contested littoral zones. Russia’s renewed assertiveness in the North Atlantic and China’s expanding naval presence in the South China Sea and beyond have intensified focus on undersea warfare.
Submarines like Arkansas are uniquely suited to this reality. Stealthy, lethal, and flexible, they offer a potent blend of surveillance, strike, deterrence, and special operations capabilities. Their very presence, often invisible, reshapes the calculations of adversaries—offering policymakers and commanders a strategic tool unlike any other.
As the U.S. Navy looks to maintain its competitive edge beneath the waves, platforms like the USS Arkansas (SSN 800) represent not just technological milestones, but strategic commitments. With the Ohio-class submarines retiring, SSN(X) years away, and geopolitical flashpoints simmering across the globe, the Arkansas is more than a weapon—it is a signal of resolve.
