The US Navy has the largest fleet of nuclear submarines on the planet, and has just added a new one to the inventory. This new fifth generation submarine is an incredible machine, and has been named after one of the biggest and best ships of the Second World War. On 15 December 2025, the US Navy took ownership of the USS Idaho (SSN-799). The ship was named to honor 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 boat of the Virginia class. The ship is the fifth ship of the US Navy to bear the name “Idaho. The first was a wooden steam sloop that was converted into a full-rigged sailing ship commissioned in 1866. The second was the BB-24, a ship of the Mississippi class. During the First World War, motor boat SP-545 also carried the name of the New Mexico class “before it was transferred to New Mexico battleship “. WWII That warship was known as “The Big Spud” to the state’s most famous faces.
It is common for the US Navy to reuse ship names in honor of historic vessels. The best known example is probably the USS Enterprise, since there were nine ships that were named like that, three of which are aircraft carriers. The new USS Idaho will undergo a series of sea trials before its official commissioning, which will likely take place sometime in the spring of 2026. Meanwhile, dedicated submariners will get to know the boat, which is expected to help strengthen the nation’s undersea warfare capabilities.
Read more: 10 Of The Largest Navies In The World, Ranked By Total Self-Reported Naval Assets
The largest Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine
USS Virginia (SSN 774) on the surface of the ocean – General Dynamics Electric Boat/US Navy/Wikimedia Commons
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 ability to launch cruise missiles. They are used primarily for anti-submarine warfare and intelligence gathering, and can operate in blue water oceans as well as coastal areas along coasts. The class is slowly replacing the Ohio-class cruise-missile variant and other Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines.
As of this writing, three Virginia-class boats are allocated to the Royal Australian Navy, while the rest remain with the United States Navy. The USS Idaho measures 377 feet long with a displacement of 10,200 tons of sea water when submerged. The boat utilizes an S9G reactor along with an auxiliary diesel engine and has a top speed of approximately 29 mph. Like other ships of its class, the Idaho will be home to 128 enlisted personnel and 17 officers.
Because the boat is nuclear powered, it has virtually unlimited range and will likely remain in service for at least 40 years. In terms of armament, the USS Idaho has 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 US Navy’s MK-48 heavy torpedo.
Want the latest tech and automotive trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest news, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.
Read the original article on SlashGear.