Breaking News: US Navy orders third Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine USS Groton to modernize nuclear deterrence.

On July 3, 2025, the U.S. Navy released its Fiscal Year 2026 budget justification, which includes procurement funding for the third Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine, designated USS Groton (SSBN-828). This acquisition follows the construction of the lead boat, District of Columbia (SSBN-826) and the second boat, Wisconsin (SSBN-827), and is part of a long-term effort to replace the aging Ohio-class SSBN fleet.
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The procurement of the USS Groton (SSBN-828) marks the start of the Build II phase of the program and is part of the US Navy’s plan to build one Columbia-class nuclear-powered submarine per year beginning in FY2026. (Picture source: US Navy)

The Columbia-class submarines are intended to maintain uninterrupted strategic deterrent patrols throughout the remainder of the 21st century and into the 2080s. Each boat is expected to contribute to sustaining the at-sea component of the United States’ nuclear triad. The procurement of Groton marks the start of the Build II phase of the program and is part of the Navy’s plan to build one Columbia-class submarine per year beginning in FY2026. The submarine is named after Groton, Connecticut, which hosts Naval Submarine Base New London and General Dynamics Electric Boat’s principal construction facilities.

In the FY2026 President’s Budget, the US Navy requests $10.543 billion in procurement funding for the Columbia-class program and $1.925 billion in mandatory reconciliation funding, totaling approximately $10.92 billion. These funds support multiple tasks. First, they cover the beginning of full incremental funding for USS Groton (SSBN-828). Second, they include cost-to-complete construction activities for the lead boats, District of Columbia and Wisconsin. Third, the request supports early procurement of long-lead materials for Groton and future submarines, as well as continued government-furnished equipment outfitting and shipbuilder-furnished equipment procurement. The budget also allows for the advancement of contract negotiations covering SSBNs 828 through 832 under Build II. Additionally, $1.352 billion of the requested funding is allocated to the Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) initiative, intended to address ongoing limitations in the shipbuilding enterprise. These investments target infrastructure expansion, material procurement capacity, supplier base development, technology adoption, and workforce growth to meet submarine production goals. The budget planning assumes continued pursuit of a production cadence of one Columbia-class and two Virginia-class submarines annually, despite industrial capacity constraints identified in previous reports.

Construction delays affect the overall delivery schedule of the Columbia-class. The lead boat, District of Columbia (SSBN-826), originally planned for delivery in October 2027, is now expected to be delivered between October 2028 and February 2029. This 12- to 16-month delay is attributed to factors including material availability, workforce readiness, and construction throughput challenges. The second boat, Wisconsin (SSBN-827), authorized in FY2024 and funded further in FY2025, is also subject to adjusted delivery expectations, with initial Navy documents placing its delivery around FY2030. These delays are significant because they intersect with the Navy’s scheduled retirement of the Ohio-class SSBNs at a rate of one per year starting in 2027. If Columbia-class submarines are not delivered on time, the Navy may not be able to sustain the minimum operational requirement of 10 deployable SSBNs, which it has identified as necessary to meet strategic deterrent patrol demands. The Government Accountability Office (GAO), in a 2024 review, confirmed that construction efficiency remains below targets, and that investments in supplier development and workforce expansion have not yet resulted in measurable improvements in cost or schedule performance.

The Columbia-class (SSBN-X) program began as the Ohio Replacement Program in the mid-2000s in response to projected retirement timelines for the 14 Ohio-class SSBNs. These earlier submarines were commissioned between 1981 and 1997, with service life extensions enabling them to remain in operation for up to 42 years. After feasibility assessments, the Navy determined that a new design would better support long-term deterrence requirements than extending existing platforms or modifying the Virginia-class SSN. The Columbia-class program was authorized in FY2021, and it aims to procure 12 new SSBNs between FY2021 and FY2035. Each submarine will be designed to perform 124 deterrent patrols during a 42-year service life. The reduction from 14 Ohio-class boats to 12 Columbia-class boats is enabled by a reactor core that does not require mid-life refueling, which reduces total maintenance-related downtime over the lifecycle. Columbia-class submarines are intended to maintain a continuous at-sea deterrent posture without requiring a greater number of hulls than needed.

Each Columbia-class SSBN will displace 20,810 long tons submerged, with a length of 171 meters (561 feet) and a beam of 13 meters (43 feet). The boats will be armed with 16 Trident II D5LE submarine-launched ballistic missiles, in compliance with arms control limits and to reduce design complexity compared to the Ohio-class, which carried 20 tubes. The submarines incorporate an array of acoustic quieting features, including X-shaped stern control surfaces, sail-mounted dive planes, and anechoic coatings. The hull includes modular construction features to facilitate integration and maintenance. The Columbia-class also incorporates the Submarine Warfare Federated Tactical System (SWFTS), which consolidates sonar, fire control, and imaging systems into a unified combat architecture. The sonar system includes the Virginia-class-derived Large Aperture Bow (LAB) array. The Common Missile Compartment (CMC), developed jointly with the United Kingdom, allows both the U.S. and UK to integrate Trident II missiles within a standardized launch module framework. The Columbia-class design emphasizes cost control through shared technologies and components with the Virginia-class, including elements of the ship control and auxiliary systems.

A significant technical feature of the Columbia-class is the adoption of turbo-electric propulsion. Instead of traditional mechanical shafting, each submarine will employ an S1B nuclear reactor to generate steam that drives electric generators. These generators supply electricity to a permanent magnet motor, which powers a pump-jet propulsor. This propulsion architecture eliminates the need for reduction gears, thereby reducing mechanical complexity and acoustic noise. The system was selected for its expected improvements in operational reliability and noise reduction. Leonardo DRS was selected as the provider of the permanent magnet motors, and the first production unit was delivered to Electric Boat in August 2022. The system is designed for the entire 42-year lifespan of the boat without refueling. This architecture supports improved survivability in contested environments and simplifies maintenance planning. The electric drive system is integrated with distributed electric controls throughout the submarine to enable modular diagnostics, fault isolation, and system monitoring.

USS Groton (SSBN-828) will be the third Columbia-class submarine, following District of Columbia and Wisconsin. The vessel is named after Groton, Connecticut, known for its long-standing role in U.S. submarine development and as the location of Naval Submarine Base New London and Electric Boat’s primary construction yard. The name was announced in 2025. At that time, the Navy had not yet finalized the procurement contract with Electric Boat due to unresolved cost negotiations. Groton will share the baseline design characteristics of the Columbia-class, including a submerged displacement of 20,810 long tons, length of 171 meters, and beam of 13 meters. She will be equipped with 16 missile tubes for Trident II D5LE SLBMs and torpedo tubes for Mk 48 heavyweight torpedoes. The planned complement is approximately 155 personnel. Construction of the boat is expected to follow the modular production approach, with major supermodules fabricated at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, and final integration at Groton, Connecticut. Assuming stabilization of the supplier base and adherence to negotiated cost parameters, Groton is expected to be delivered in the early 2030s. Her integration into the fleet will depend on the resolution of current industrial base constraints and the Navy’s ability to meet or adjust long-term delivery targets.