On Friday, February 23, the Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) branch of Huntington Ingalls Industries launched the USS Massachusetts (SSN-798), a future attack submarine of the US Navy, from its facilities in Virginia.

One of only two shipyards in the world capable of designing and constructing nuclear-powered submarines for the US Navy, NNS, will be delivering its 12th nuclear-powered submarine, the future Massachusetts, which will be the 25th of the Virginia-class.

It will be possible for the submarine to operate in both coastal and deep waters, just like its sisters in the Virginia class. The missions will involve irregular warfare, mine warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, and support for special operations forces.