US Submarine USS Connecticut to Rejoin Pacific Fleet in 2026 to Counter China Threat.

The nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN-22), one of only three Seawolf-class submarines in service with the US Navy, is scheduled to return to operational status by late 2026. This follows five years of inactivity due to severe damage sustained in an underwater collision in the Pacific. The incident occurred in October 2021 during a mission in international waters in the South China Sea, causing significant damage to the submarine’s bow and ballast tanks. This forced the vessel to surface and proceed to Guam, then San Diego, before eventually reaching the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington State for major repairs.
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For armament, the USS Connecticut is equipped with eight 26.5-inch torpedo tubes adapted for standard 21-inch weapons, capable of carrying up to 50 munitions, including Mk 48 torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and Tomahawk cruise missiles for precision land strikes (Picture source: US DoD)

USS Connecticut (SSN-22) is a Seawolf-class nuclear attack submarine commissioned in December 1998. Designed during the Cold War to outperform all underwater threats of that era, it has a submerged displacement of 9,137 tons and a length of 107.5 meters. It is powered by a 220 MW S6W nuclear reactor coupled with a pump-jet propulsor, allowing speeds over 35 knots while submerged. The submarine's stealth capabilities are enhanced by anechoic coatings, enabling discreet operations at depth, including under Arctic ice where it has participated in several ICEX exercises.

For armament, the USS Connecticut is equipped with eight 26.5-inch torpedo tubes adapted for standard 21-inch weapons, capable of carrying up to 50 munitions, including Mk 48 torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and Tomahawk cruise missiles for precision land strikes. Its defensive systems include advanced sonar technologies, surveillance sensors, and internal shielding to protect critical systems. Built to engage sophisticated adversary submarines and to protect carrier strike groups, it remains one of the most capable and costly attack submarines constructed by the United States.

Currently, USS Connecticut is in dry dock at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility, undergoing a complex maintenance and repair program under the Extended Docking Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA) process, which officially began in February 2023. The Navy initially anticipated a return to service by fall 2025, but this has been delayed to late 2026. A Navy spokesperson indicated that Connecticut's repair is a priority for both Puget Sound Naval Shipyard teams and Naval Sea Systems Command, who continue to invest in materials, infrastructure, and workforce to meet fleet operational needs.

The complexity of repairs is heightened by the scarcity of Seawolf-class specific parts, as only three units were built before production ceased following post-Cold War budget cuts. Procuring components like the sonar dome is particularly challenging, especially since the USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23), the third unit, is a heavily modified submarine for underwater espionage missions. In 2021, Congress allocated $40 million in emergency funding for initial repairs and an additional $10 million for a new bow dome, but the total cost of repairs remains undisclosed.

The investigation led by the US Navy’s 7th Fleet concluded that the collision resulted from command failures and poor execution of essential tasks aboard, leading to the dismissal of the commanding officer, Commander Cameron Aljilani, the executive officer, and the Chief of the Boat. Despite industrial challenges, the Navy included funding in its 2025 budget for the acquisition of an additional Seawolf-class bow dome to mitigate the risk of similar incidents in the future. When adjusted for inflation, the construction cost of the submarine, originally valued at $3.1 billion in 1983, exceeds $10 billion in 2025 dollars.

The return to service of USS Connecticut is all the more critical as its sister ship, USS Seawolf, is scheduled for an extended maintenance period at Puget Sound starting in April 2026, with a planned return to service by June 2029. This will temporarily leave the USS Jimmy Carter as the only operational Seawolf-class submarine. This situation underscores the limitations of US industrial capacity to sustain its submarine fleet, particularly in the face of China’s growing naval power. Simultaneously, the development of the next-generation nuclear attack submarine program, SSN(X), has been delayed, with production now pushed back to the early 2040s.

In summary, the repair complexity of the Connecticut, the obsolescence of the Seawolf class, and the strategic pressure linked to rivalry with China highlight the necessity for the US Navy to restore this unique vessel to operational readiness. This effort remains essential to maintain the US submarine force’s discreet and offensive capabilities in the coming years.