US Navy Commissions New Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine

The U.S. Navy has just commissioned its 24th Virginia-class fast-attack submarine, USS Iowa, built by General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB).

The boat was formally welcomed into service at a special ceremony on Saturday at GDEB’s shipyard in Groton, Connecticut.

The nuclear-powered submarine is 377 feet long and has a 34-foot beam. She is capable of a maximum speed of in excess of 25 knots and has a crew of about 135.

USS Iowa carries Tomahawk cruise missiles and is designed for a range of missions including anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and mine warfare.

As per a recent U.S. Navy press statement, USS Iowa is the first submarine and third naval vessel named after the Hawkeye State. She was constructed across four years between 2019 and 2023. 

Iowa’s commanding officer Commander Gregory Coy took charge of Iowa in June 2024 and led the crew from the shipyard and through a series of sea trials. He called the event “a historic milestone,” praising the crew, shipbuilders, and commissioning committee.

He added: “I am consistently humbled at what we have accomplished. Today, we become the ‘USS’ Iowa, and I intend to take her to the frontline, continuing the Navy’s overwhelming display of undersea dominance and lethality.”

• You can read more details on the U.S. Navy website