The U.S. Navy has the largest fleet of nuclear submarines in the world, and it just added a new nuclear submarine to its inventory. This new fifth-generation submarine is an incredible machine, named in honor of one of the largest and best ships of World War II. On December 15, 2025, the U.S. Navy took ownership of the USS Idaho (SSN-799). The ship was named in honor of the battleship USS Idaho (BB-42), which first entered service in 1919 and was awarded seven battle stars during World War II.
The New Idaho is the 26th ship in the Virginia class. The ship is the fifth ship in the U.S. Navy to bear the “Idaho” name. The first was a wooden steam sloop commissioned in 1866 and later converted into a fully rigged sailing ship. The second ship is BB-24, a Mississippi-class battleship. During World War I, the SP-545 motorboat was also named “Idaho”, which was later transferred to the New Mexico-class battleships of World War II. The warship is known as the “Big Potato,” the state’s most famous crop.
The U.S. Navy often reuses ship names to honor historic vessels. The most famous example is probably the USS Enterprise, as there are nine ships named after this, three of which are aircraft carriers. The new USS Idaho will undergo a series of sea trials before officially entering service, which will likely occur sometime in the spring of 2026. At the same time, dedicated submarine personnel will learn about the ship, which is expected to help enhance the nation’s underwater warfare capabilities.
Read more: The 10 largest navies in the world, ranked by self-reported total naval assets
The latest Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine
USS Virginia (SSN 774) at sea – General Dynamics Electric Boat/U.S. Navy/Wikimedia Commons
The USS Idaho (SSN-799) is one of the most advanced nuclear submarines in the world. Virginia-class submarines are designated as attack platforms with the capability to launch cruise missiles. They are primarily used for anti-submarine warfare and intelligence gathering and can perform missions in blue water waters as well as along coastlines. This class of nuclear submarines is slowly replacing the Ohio-class cruise missile nuclear submarines and other Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines.
As of this writing, three Virginia-class ships have been designated for use by the Royal Australian Navy, with the remainder still in use by the United States Navy. The USS Idaho is 377 feet long and displaces 10,200 tons of seawater underwater. The vessel uses an S9G reactor and auxiliary diesel engine and has a top speed of approximately 29 mph. Like other ships of its class, the Idaho will carry 128 sailors and 17 officers.
Because the ship is powered by nuclear energy, its range is virtually unlimited and it is likely to remain in service for at least 40 years. In terms of armament, the USS Idaho is equipped with two Virginia payload tubes and four additional payload tubes capable of launching BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles. In addition, it has four 21-inch torpedo tubes capable of firing the US Navy’s MK-48 heavy torpedoes.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.