U.S. Navy commissions in Groton the 26th Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine with 10,200 tons and 115 meters of steel

Written by Douglas Avila

Published on 14/05/2026 at 18:02

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The United States Navy commissioned on April 25 the nuclear attack submarine USS Idaho, the 26th of the Virginia class, with 10,200 tons of submerged displacement, 115 meters in length, and capacity for 12 Tomahawk missiles in vertical tubes, in a ceremony at the Naval Base in New London, Groton, Connecticut.

The nuclear submarine USS Idaho SSN-799 is the eighth of the Virginia-class in Block IV configuration.

According to Naval News, the ceremony took place on April 25, 2026.

According to the Department of Defense, the USS Idaho’s initial port is New London, in Groton, Connecticut.

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The dimensions of the nuclear submarine USS Idaho SSN-799 cover 115 meters and 10,200 tons

According to General Dynamics Electric Boat, the submarine’s builder, the total length is 377 feet.

According to official data, the hull diameter measures 34 feet, equivalent to 10.4 meters.

In comparison, the Boeing 747 is 70 meters long — Idaho is 1.6 times the size of the plane.

Firstly, the submarine displaces 7,800 tons on the surface and 10,200 tons submerged.

Secondly, the S9G nuclear reactor provides 40,000 horsepower.

On the other hand, the submerged speed exceeds 25 knots, or 46 km/h, according to declassified data.

American Navy commissioned USS Idaho SSN-799 with 10,200 tons on April 25, 2026 — Commissioning ceremony of the USS Idaho in Groton, Connecticut (artistic representation).

The nuclear submarine USS Idaho SSN-799 carries 12 Tomahawk missiles in vertical VPMs

According to official data, the USS Idaho has two Virginia Payload Modules (VPMs) with six tubes each.

In other words, there are 12 Tomahawk cruise missiles ready for vertical launch.

According to Raytheon, the manufacturer of the Tomahawk, each missile has a range of 1,600 kilometers.

Firstly, the submarine also carries 25 Mark 48 torpedoes in four tubes.

Secondly, there are Harpoon anti-ship missiles in its own system.

Therefore, the USS Idaho is classified as a hunter-killer with broad offensive capability.

While Brazil builds conventional submarine Riachuelo, the US commissions the 26th nuclear

The Brazilian submarine Riachuelo S-40 was commissioned in 2022 with diesel-electric propulsion.

According to the Brazilian Navy, the PROSUB program has a budget of R$ 7.7 billion.

In direct comparison, the Block IV Virginia costs US$ 3.4 billion per unit.

In other words, each American submarine costs three times the entire Brazilian national program.

Therefore, the forecast for the first Brazilian nuclear Álvaro Alberto is only in 2035.

As reported by Naval Comércio, the Álvaro Alberto schedule is three years delayed in 2026.

Class: Virginia-class Block IV (eighth in configuration)
Length: 115 meters (377 feet)
Displacement: 10,200 tons submerged
Propulsion: S9G nuclear reactor (40,000 HP)
Speed: 25+ knots submerged (46+ km/h)
Armament: 12 Tomahawk + 25 Mark 48 + Harpoon
Cost: US$ 3.4 billion per unit

The nuclear submarine USS Idaho SSN-799 operates with a crew of 135 sailors — Typical control room of a Virginia-class submarine (artistic representation).

The American Navy produces 1.3 Virginia submarines per year and aims to reach 2.3

According to the Congressional Research Service, the Navy delivered 1.3 Virginia submarines per year in 2024-2025.

According to the White House, the plan is to double this rate to 2.3 units per year by 2028.

Firstly, this requires expansion of the General Dynamics and Newport News Shipbuilding shipyards.

Secondly, Congress approved US$ 4 billion in subsidies for skilled labor.

Subsequently, the goal is to reach 66 operational Virginia submarines by 2030.

Similarly, the Navy intends to maintain 12 Columbia-class SSBNs in simultaneous operation.

The AUKUS agreement brings Virginia technology to Australia starting in 2032

In 2021, the US, UK, and Australia closed the AUKUS pact for nuclear submarine cooperation.

According to the agreement, Australia will receive at least 3 Virginia submarines between 2032 and 2042.

According to estimates, the total cost for Canberra should be between US$ 270 billion and US$ 368 billion.

In other words, the AUKUS program is larger than any Australian military purchase in 80 years.

On the other hand, China and Indonesia publicly opposed the pact.

As reported by CNN, the delivery of the first Virginia to Australia requires annual approval from the American Congress.

The nuclear submarine USS Idaho SSN-799 launches 12 Tomahawk missiles from vertical tubes — Launch of a Tomahawk missile from a vertical tube in a Virginia-class submarine (artistic representation).

The CPG collection covers naval defense and submarine industry

CPG recently published about the Brazilian nuclear submarine program Álvaro Alberto, in the site’s collection.

Subsequently, the site also published an analysis on the impacts of the AUKUS agreement on geopolitics, with data from CSIS.

In other words, the USS Idaho is part of the submarine race between the US and China.

On the other hand, some point out that China builds Type 095 submarines at the same rate of two units per year.

Next steps: USS Massachusetts and USS Idaho together in the Atlantic

Firstly, the USS Idaho begins operational training in the Atlantic in June 2026.

Next, it should complete its first extended surface mission by December.

Finally, it joins a squadron with USS Massachusetts starting in 2027.

However, some question whether the Navy’s construction pace will hold up until 2030.

Nonetheless, executives from Electric Boat argue that the AUKUS program will force an increase in production. Still, the USS Idaho marks the 26th delivery of the class that defines 21st-century submarine warfare.

U.S. Navy commissions in Groton the 26th Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine with 10,200 tons and 115 meters of steel

The dimensions of the nuclear submarine USS Idaho SSN-799 cover 115 meters and 10,200 tons

The nuclear submarine USS Idaho SSN-799 carries 12 Tomahawk missiles in vertical VPMs

While Brazil builds conventional submarine Riachuelo, the US commissions the 26th nuclear

The American Navy produces 1.3 Virginia submarines per year and aims to reach 2.3

The AUKUS agreement brings Virginia technology to Australia starting in 2032

The CPG collection covers naval defense and submarine industry

Next steps: USS Massachusetts and USS Idaho together in the Atlantic

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U.S. Navy commissions in Groton the 26th Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine with 10,200 tons and 115 meters of steel

The dimensions of the nuclear submarine USS Idaho SSN-799 cover 115 meters and 10,200 tons

The nuclear submarine USS Idaho SSN-799 carries 12 Tomahawk missiles in vertical VPMs

While Brazil builds conventional submarine Riachuelo, the US commissions the 26th nuclear

The American Navy produces 1.3 Virginia submarines per year and aims to reach 2.3

The AUKUS agreement brings Virginia technology to Australia starting in 2032

The CPG collection covers naval defense and submarine industry

Next steps: USS Massachusetts and USS Idaho together in the Atlantic

A Chinese factory in Guangdong is assembling a humanoid robot every 30 minutes while Tesla, Figure, and Boston Dynamics still struggle to deliver 10 thousand per year.

In Niger, mud buildings have stood for ten generations while the world spends billions on concrete and steel, now African architects are proving at the Venice Biennale and in real projects that red earth can be the smartest and most sustainable building material of the 21st century.

Seven world powers including the US, China, and Russia are spending €22 billion on a reactor in the south of France that aims to confine plasma at 150 million degrees Celsius, ten times the temperature of the Sun’s core, using a magnetic field capable of lifting an entire aircraft carrier.

Secret chamber sealed 4,500 years ago found in the Pyramid of Khufu, and Hawass announces its opening to the world in 2026

With a wingspan of 152 meters, 76 tires, and a capacity to carry 1,270 tons, the Boeing Pelican was the giant “flying ship” that promised to cross oceans close to the water on an invisible air cushion beneath its wings.

A public school student single-handedly created a machine capable of treating water for up to 50 people using only solar energy. It was awarded third place at one of the most important science fairs in the world.

Germany installed vertical solar panels on a lake in Bavaria, and the result broke conventional logic: instead of producing energy at midday peak, the plant generates more early in the morning and in the evening, exactly when families turn on appliances and factories are in full swing.

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Work at Senai and earn R$ 4,800 plus benefits such as health insurance, an indefinite-term CLT contract, and the chance to secure a position in the Occupational Safety area.

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