Damaged Nuclear Sub Dashes US Navy Hopes For A 2026 Return To Service

In 1997, the U.S. Navy launched the USS Connecticut, SSN 22, a Seawolf-class attack submarine. These nuclear-powered subs are designed to seek out and, when necessary, destroy enemy submarines and ships on the surface. These submarines can also perform intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions; provide support for larger, battle group operations; and more. There are only three Seawolf-class submarines, including the Connecticut, the USS Seawolf, and the USS Jimmy Carter. The Navy originally intended to construct more, but its plans were dropped at the end of the Cold War due to the $3.5 billion price tag of each Sealwolf-class sub.

Seawolf-class submarines are recognized for their speed, stealth, and weaponry. Unlike other attack submarines in the U.S. arsenal, which have Vertical Launch System (VLS) tubes, Seawolf-class subs have eight torpedo tubes that can hold up to 50 weapons, including heavy-weight 533-millimeter Mark 48 torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles. Maintaining and modernizing these subs is costly, but the USS Connecticut has been out of service since a 2021 collision with an uncharted seamount.

The accident, which happened in the South China Sea during a humanitarian evacuation, caused severe damage. Repairs, technically called a complex Extended Docking Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA), started at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Washington state in February 2023. The Navy initially expected that the repairs would be completed in September 2025. The timeline then shifted to early 2026, then late 2026. Now, the completion date is expected in summer 2027.

According to TWZ, it is not known why the repairs have been delayed yet again, but the job is a complicated one. In addition to fixing the damage from the collision, the Navy is also overhauling and upgrading additional systems on the sub. Because there are only three Seawolf-class subs in existence, this is a challenging prospect. Budget cuts shut down the production line in the 1990s, so replacement parts must be fabricated specifically for each job.

The Seawolf-class submarines are the most expensive ever built for the U.S. Navy. They cost about $3.1 billion when they were built in the 1980s, which equates to more than $10 billion today. In 2021, Congress approved $50 million for repairs to the USS Connecticut, but the exact cost of the restoration has not been disclosed. In June 2026, Forbes reported that repairs could ultimately exceed $80 million. If the job stretches through May 2027, when the USS Seawolf is currently scheduled for routine maintenance, then only one Seawolf-class submarine will remain in service – the USS Jimmy Carter.

The Navy appears committed to the repairs despite plans to inactivate the USS Connecticut for good in 2031. This could be in part because the USS Jimmy Carter is not configured for attack missions. Additionally, the attack submarine program intended to replace the Virginia-class and Seawolf-class fast-attack submarines, SSN(X), is also delayed, with production postponed until the 2040s.