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Topic: Naval Warfare Blog Brand: The Buzz Region: Americas Tags: Defense Industry, North America, Seawolf-Class Submarines, Shipbuilding, Submarines, United States, US Navy, and USS Connecticut (SSN-22) Will the USS Connecticut Submarine Finally Return to Duty This Year? January 30, 2026 By: Brandon J. Weichert
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Following a disastrous underwater collision, the Connecticut was originally scheduled to complete repairs in 2025—but its return was pushed back to this year, and could be further delayed.
Way back in the year 2021, the USS Connecticut (SSN-22), one of only three advanced Seawolf-class attack submarines, was operating near the sensitive Chinese Yulin Naval Base on Hainan Island in the South China Sea (SCS)—when something unusual happened.
The official narrative is that the high-tech—and vital for fleet operations—US submarine struck an underwater mountain (known as a “seamount”) and was drastically damaged. She was so damaged that the Connecticut had to limp back to her homeport on the surface.
Images of the post-crash Connecticut went viral showcasing a damaged bow, sonar dome, and ballast tanks. There were no reported fatalities. There were, however, severe injuries sustained by the crew onboard.
A subsequent Navy investigation into the matter determined that the collision was preventable. The report cited poor seamanship, inadequate navigation planning, lax oversight, and leadership failures onboard. As a result, the commanding officer, executive officer, and chief of the boat (COB) were all relieved of their duties.
The USS Connecticut’s Specifications
- Year Commissioned: 1998
- Number Built: 3 in Seawolf class
- Length: 353 ft (107.6 m)
- Beam (Width): 40 ft (12.2 m)
- Displacement: 9,137 tons (submerged), 7,568 (light; when surfaced), 9,100 tons (full-load)
- Engines: S6W pressurized water reactor
- Top Speed: 25 knots (28.8 mph, 46.3 km/h)
- Range: Unlimited
- Armaments: Eight 660-mm (26-in) torpedo tubes; MK-48 ADCAP torpedoes, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and Harpoon anti-ship missiles
- Crew: 130–140
The Loss of the Connecticut Was a Disaster for US Navy Readiness
Because only three Seawolf-class submarines were ever built—the Connecticut, the USS Seawolf (SSN-21), and the USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23)—and these submarines are used for highly sensitive undersea surveillance and infiltration missions, the loss of one of these boats for more than five years has been very damaging to overall fleet readiness.
Interestingly, the Seawolf-class was supposed to be the primary attack submarine meant to replace the iconic Los Angeles-class submarine. When the Cold War ended, however, and the cost of these complex undersea beasts skyrocketed, Congress pulled the plug after only three subs of this class were produced.
With the production line for the Seawolf-class having ended decades ago, there are no spare submarines to cannibalize. Because of this, many replacement components, like the sonar dome, must be custom-made, which has greatly slowed repairs to the submarine.
Then, of course, there are America’s painful industrial base limits. Even on a good day, the US submarine industrial base struggles with capacity and shipyard backlogs. Insert a demand for a major (unexpected) repair job on a complex, unique system like the Seawolf-class submarine, and you’re going to be staring down delays that will last for years.
The Connecticut entered an Extended Docking Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA), which is a fancy way of saying it was going to be in for major repairs and overhauls, back in February 2023. The original timeline for the repairs and overhaul was slated for 2025—about 31 months of yard work in total.
Sadly, however, the schedule has slipped, likely due to the complexity and parts problems. The Navy currently anticipates the Connecticut to return to fleet service late this year, albeit with a real possibility that it won’t happen until 2027.
As one of the most advanced and capable attack submarines in the US fleet, the Connecticut’s absence is significant. A submarine possessing a high speed, advanced stealth, and large weapons capacity has been out of commission for five years. It could easily be six years before it returns to service.
Will 2026 Be the Connecticut’s Comeback Year?
As we enter 2026, the year that the Connecticut is supposed to return to active duty, there are concerns among naval planners. After all, the USS Seawolf is also scheduled for extended maintenance, while the USS Jimmy Carter has been optimized for special missions, making it less suited to the typical attack missions that the Navy originally designed the Seawolf-class for.
According to Army Recognition, a popular online trade publication that tracks military hardware and platforms, US Navy planners want the USS Connecticut back in service to help the US maintain undersea deterrence and capability in the Indo-Pacific region amid rising Chinese naval power. Indeed, the Connecticut could prove decisive in America’s ailing deterrence mission against China in the Indo-Pacific, given the Seawolf-class submarine’s unique and advanced features.
But given the slippage in the repair schedule, the strain on the already sclerotic defense industrial base, and the stunning lack of modernization in America’s ailing naval shipyards, it is very possible that the Connecticut misses its intended return to service date once again and, instead, ends up hitting the waves early next year.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert is a senior national security editor at The National Interest. Weichert is the host of The National Security Hour on iHeartRadio, where he discusses national security policy every Wednesday at 8pm Eastern. He hosts a companion show on Rumble entitled “National Security Talk.” Weichert consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. His writings have appeared in numerous publications, among them Popular Mechanics, National Review, MSN, and The American Spectator. And his books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. Weichert’s newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter/X @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
The post Will the USS Connecticut Submarine Finally Return to Duty This Year? appeared first on The National Interest.
Источник: nationalinterest.org