Virginia-class submarine Arkansas on pace for Q2 2025 launch

Arkansas is the final Block IV Virginia-class submarine to be delivered by Newport News Shipbuilding. (Janes/Michael Fabey)

Virginia-class attack submarine Arkansas (SSN 800) is on pace to launch during the second quarter (Q2) of 2025, according to Jason Ward, vice-president of Virginia-Class Submarine Construction for HII's Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), which builds the submarines.

“Typically it's 12 months after that till delivery,” Ward noted to Janes on 6 December during an interview in advance of the christening of Arkansas on 7 December.

Arkansas is the last Block IV Virginia-class submarine that NNS will be delivering, Ward noted.

The hull is now complete and NNS is making all the spaces habitable for the US Navy (USN) crew to move aboard as the shipbuilder prepares the ship for the 2025 launch, Ward said.

“We will get the systems groomed to support waterborne testing and training the crew,” he said.

Commander Michael Huber, Arkansas commanding officer, told Janes in an interview on 6 December that he was now focused on crew training with an initial focus on engineering.

Like other nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) being built now, Arkansas' launch and delivery is running behind schedule. “All Virginia-class [submarines] are several years behind schedule,” Ward said.

“[The] Covid [-19 pandemic] has been a big contributing factor,” he acknowledged. “Covid has had an impact on [the] manufacturing sector as a whole.”

NNS and General Dynamics Electric Boat are looking to step up the steady production of submarines, which the navy needs to exceed two submarines per year to meet the needs of the USN and commitments of the AUKUS agreement with the UK and Australia.