Tag Archives: USS Iowa (SSN 797)

Third Battlewagon SSN this Year

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The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the Submarine Force’s newest hunter-killer, the future USS Idaho (SSN 799), from Electric Boat on 15 December.

And with that, the Navy List is looking very 1944ish.

The future USS Idaho (SSN 799) on builders trials 251215-N-N2201-002

Idaho is the 26th Virginia-class submarine co-produced by EB and HII-Newport News Shipbuilding through a long-standing teaming arrangement. It is the 14th delivered by EB and is the eighth of 10 Block IV-configured attack submarines.

The future USS Idaho is the fifth Navy ship to be named for the state of Idaho. The first was a wooden-hulled storeship commissioned in 1866. The last was Battleship No. 42, which was commissioned in 1919 and received seven battle stars for service in World War II, then ignobly sold for scrap in 1947.

Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Vice Admiral Alexander Sharp, USN. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph NH 83900 

USS Idaho (BB-42) ship’s company posed on the after deck and after 14 gun turrets, circa 1938. Note Curtiss SOC-3 Seagull floatplanes, of Observation Squadron Three, atop the Turret # 3 catapult and on deck to port of the turrets. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Vice Admiral Alexander Sharp, USN. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.Catalog #: NH 83900

She joins the fifth (completed) U.S. Navy vessel named for the Bay State, the future USS Massachusetts (SSN 798), which was delivered to the service from Newport News on 21 November.

Future USS Massachusetts (SSN 798) on builder’s acceptance trials. 251008-N-MQ094-002

The last and most famous to carry the name thus far (BB-59) was commissioned in 1942 as a South Dakota-class fast battleship, earning 11 battle stars for exceptional service in WWII from Casablanca to Okinawa before being decommissioned in 1947. She remained in the Reserve Fleet until stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in June 1962 and continues to serve as a floating museum.

USS Massachusetts underway somewhere in the Pacific (1943)

While Idaho and Massachusetts are set to be commissioned in 2026, the current USS Iowa (SSN 797) was commissioned in April.

Sailors attached to the fast-attack submarine USS Iowa man the newly commissioned sub during a ceremony in Groton, Conn., April 5, 2025. The Iowa operates under Submarine Squadron 4, which provides fast-attack submarines that are ready, prepared, and committed to meet the unique challenges of undersea combat and deployed operations in unforgiving environments across the globe. Navy Chief Petty Officer Joshua Karsten

The last Iowa, the famed class-leading fast battleship BB-61, which was christened on 27 August 1942, was only stricken from the NVR on 17 March 2006 and endures as a floating museum at Los Angeles, the only West Coast battlewagon.

USS Iowa (BB-61) off Pearl Harbor, en route to the U.S. at the end of her Korean War combat tour. The photograph is dated 28 October 1952. Note the ship’s hull number (61) and U.S. Flag painted atop her forward turrets. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Catalog #: NH 44536

If only Jesse Barrett “Oley” Oldendorf’s grandson were SUBRON commander…

Iowa, Arriving

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The fourth U.S. Navy vessel named for the state of Iowa, the future USS Iowa (SSN-797), was delivered to the Navy on 22 December 2024 and, as the Hawkeye State is slim on blue water ports, was commissioned at her homeport of Groton over the weekend.

The last Iowa, the famed class-leading fast battleship BB-61, which was christened on 27 August 1942, was only stricken from the NVR on 17 March 2006 and endures as a floating museum at Los Angeles, the only West Coast battlewagon.

SSN-797 is the 24th Virginia class hunter killer delivered since 2004 and is the sixth advanced Block IV variant, which includes the big new LAB sonar array and 12 VLS cells.

She will join Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 4 at Groton, which will include the USS Virginia (SSN 774), the USS South Dakota (SSN 790), the USS Hyman G Rickover (SSN 795), and the future PCU Idaho (SSN 799) and PCU Tang (SSN 805).

Welcome Back, Iowa

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The fourth U.S. Navy vessel named for the state of Iowa, the future USS Iowa (SSN-797), was delivered to the Navy on 22 December 2024.

Commissioning is planned for Spring 2025, to be held in Groton as the Hawkeye State is slim on blue water ports.

NEW LONDON, Conn. – (241219-N-UM744-1001) NEW LONDON, Conn. — The pre-commissioning unit (PCU) Iowa (SSN 797) arrives for the first time at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, December 19, 2024. The future USS Iowa was delivered to Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 4 from the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipbuilding facility downriver after recently completing a series of at-sea testing. The fast-attack submarine PCU Iowa and crew operate under SUBRON 4 and its primary mission is to provide fast-attack submarines that are ready, prepared, and committed to meet the unique challenges of undersea combat and deployed operations in unforgiving environments across the globe. (RELEASED: U.S. Navy photo by John Narewski)

The last Iowa, the famed BB-61, which was christened on 27 August 1942, was only stricken from the NVR on 17 March 2006 and endures as a floating museum at Los Angeles, the only West Coast battlewagon.

SSN-797 is the 24th Virginia class hunter killer delivered since 2004 and is the sixth advanced Block IV variant, which includes the big new LAB sonar array and 12 VLS cells. Going past that, she is the 12th battle force ship delivered to the Navy this calendar year.

Welcome Back, Iowa

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The future USS Iowa (SSN 797) was officially christened by Christie Vilsack, the ship’s sponsor and former first lady of Iowa, during a ceremony at the Electric Boat shipyard facility in Groton, Connecticut last Saturday. She is the 23rd Virginia-class submarine and the 6th advanced Block IV boat of the class.

230617-N-UR986-0140 GROTON, Conn. (June 17, 2023) – Christie Vilsack, sponsor of the pre-commissioning unit (PCU) USS Iowa (SSN 797), christens the ship during a ceremony at General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard facility in Groton, Connecticut , June 17, 2023. Iowa and crew will operate under Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) FOUR 

230617-N-UR986-0042 GROTON, Conn. (June 17, 2023) – The crew of the pre-commissioning unit (PCU) USS Iowa (SSN 797), stand in ranks next to their ship during a christening ceremony at General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard facility in Groton, Connecticut, June 17, 2023. 

The future USS Iowa (SSN 797) is the fourth U.S. Navy vessel and first submarine named in recognition of the state. Previous ships named after the state were battleships, as well as, a converted merchant ship that was never activated.

Her crest includes BB-61, “The Grey Ghost” that I saw recommission in 1984 as an excited 10-year-old at Pascagoula– and accidentally bumped into then Veep George Bush in a passageway.

The final battleship Iowa decommissioned on 26 October 1990 and her name was stricken from the NVR on 17 March 2006, leaving an almost 16-year gap on the Navy List without the Hawkeye State.

Ironically, the first USS Iowa (Battleship No. 4) was launched on 16 June 1897– 126 years and one day prior.