Newest Nuclear Sub Arrives For The US Navy With A Historic WW2 Namesake

The United States Navy has the largest fleet of nuclear submarines on the planet, and it just added a new one to the inventory. This new fifth generation submarine is an incredible machine, and it was named in honor of one of World War II's biggest and best vessels. On December 15, 2025, the U.S. Navy took ownership of the USS Idaho (SSN-799). The ship was named to carry on the honor of the battleship USS Idaho (BB-42), which was first commissioned in 1919 and went on to be awarded seven battle stars during WWII.

The new Idaho is the 26th Virginia-class boat. The ship is the fifth U.S. Navy vessel to carry the name "Idaho. The first was a wooden steam sloop that was turned into a full-rigged sailing ship commissioned in 1866. The second was the BB-24, a Mississippi-class battleship. During World War I, motorboat SP-545 also carried the name before "Idaho" was transferred to a New Mexico-class battleship of WWII. That warship was known as "The Big Spud" for the state's most famous crop. 

It's common for the U.S. Navy to reuse ship names in honor of historical vessels. The most well-known example is probably the USS Enterprise, as there have been nine thusly-named vessels, three of which are aircraft carriers. The new USS Idaho will undergo a series of sea trials prior to its official commissioning, which will likely take place sometime in the spring of 2026. In the meantime, dedicated submariners will get to know the boat, which is expected to help strengthen the nation's undersea warfare capabilities.

The USS Idaho (SSN-799) is one of the most advanced nuclear submarines in the world. Virginia-class subs are designated to be attack platforms with the capability to launch cruise missiles. They're used primarily for anti-submarine warfare and intelligence gathering, and they can operate in blue-water oceans as well as in littoral areas along coastlines. The class is slowly replacing the cruise-missile variant of the Ohio class and other nuclear submarines in the Los Angeles class.

As of this writing, three Virginia-class boats are earmarked for the Royal Australian Navy, while the rest remain with the U.S. Navy. The USS Idaho measures 377 feet long with a displacement of 10,200 tons of seawater when submerged. The boat utilizes an S9G reactor alongside an auxiliary diesel engine and has a maximum speed of around 29 mph. Like other vessels of its class, the Idaho will be home to 128 enlisted personnel and 17 officers.

Because the boat is powered by nuclear energy, it has virtually an unlimited range and will likely remain in service for at least 40 years. In terms of armament, the USS Idaho features two Virginia Payload Tubes and four additional payload tubes capable of firing the BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile. Additionally, it features four 21-inch torpedo tubes to fire the U.S. Navy's MK-48 heavy torpedo.