The decision to skip the customary “post-shakedown availability” for the US Navy’s newest nuclear submarine is troubling—but delaying its introduction by a year could be more so.

The USS Massachusetts (SSN-798), the US Navy’s seventh Block IV Virginia-class fast attack submarine, completed its shakedown trials and was determined to be “ready for fleet tasking,” the United States Navy announced on Monday—skipping a common interim step that takes place between shakedown trials and initial service.

“As a result of the superb material condition and combat readiness, the Navy waived the post-shakedown availability of USS Massachusetts,” the service wrote in its media release—noting that the decision to hasten its deployment came because of “the operational quality of the ship during trials and the urgency to deliver warfighting capability to the Fleet.”

What Is a “Post-Shakedown Availability”?

US Navy vessels almost always undergo a Post-Shakedown Availability (PSA), a scheduled industrial maintenance period in a shipyard where a newly-commissioned naval ship or submarine gets repairs for issues found during its initial shakedown cruise. In some cases, systems are also upgraded, and defects or design flaws are addressed.

The service determined the PSA wasn’t necessary, and instead, the USS Massachusetts is ready for its upcoming maiden deployment.

“Waiving a submarine’s post-shakedown availability is an example of driving efficiency, innovation and speed in shipbuilding,” said Vice Adm. Rob Gaucher, director of submarine programs for the US Navy. “While it is a calculated risk, we do it without ever compromising the safety of our sailors or the quality of our submarines. By getting this boat into the fight we can continue to maintain an absolute advantage in the undersea domain.”

SSN-798, the eighth US Navy vessel to be named for the Bay State, was handed over to the United States Navy on November 21, 2025, following the completion of its sea trials. It was commissioned into service in March in a ceremony presided over by the ship’s sponsor, venture capitalist and former Meta (Facebook) executive Sheryl Sandberg.

“USS Massachusetts is ready to fight, and that is exactly where we need her, in the hands of our Sailors and available to the Fleet,” said Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle at the ceremony. “Waiving this availability reflects the exceptional condition of the ship and our determination to deliver combat-ready capability faster. It also allows our shipbuilding workforce to focus its talent and capacity where we need it most, building the next generation of submarines our nation requires.”

HII Newport News Shipbuilding was the lead contractor on the fast attack submarine, as part of a teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat.

About the Virginia-Class Fast Attack Submarine (SSN)

• Year Introduced: 2004
• Number Built: 24 (69 planned)
• Length: 377 ft (115 m)
• Beam (Width): 34 ft (10.4 m)
• Displacement: 7,800 tons
• Propulsion: S9G nuclear reactor; auxiliary diesel engine
• Top Speed: 25 knots (28.8 mph, 46 km/h)
• Range: Unlimited
• Armaments: 12 VLS tubes, four 21-inch (530mm) torpedo tubes for Mk-48 torpedoes; BGM-109 Tomahawk missiles
• Crew: 135 (15 officers, 120 enlisted)

The Virginia-class boats are the US Navy’s primary attack submarine for land, surface, and anti-submarine attack missions, and their armaments include cruise missiles and torpedoes. Each is also equipped with large lock-in/lock-out chambers that allow Navy SEALs to operate from the boat, and plans call for using it to launch underwater drones. Instead of traditional periscopes, this class of submarines uses two photonics masts that host visible- and infrared-band digital cameras atop telescoping arms.

The Block IV boats incorporate design changes focused on reducing total ownership cost. By making these smaller-scale design changes to extend the component-level lifecycle of the submarine, the US Navy was able to increase the rate of depot maintenance availability and the number of deployments. The main improvement of the Block IV over the preceding Block III is the reduction of major maintenance periods from 4 to 3, increasing each boat’s total time available to be spent at sea.

Rushing a Nuclear Submarine into Service: The Least Bad Option?

The PSA is usually scheduled to begin six months to a year after a vessel is delivered, and it can last from 45 to 120 days for a surface combatant. However, it can take a year for nuclear-powered vessels including submarines.

That would delay the maiden deployment of the USS Massachusetts well into next year, a step that would likely impact the building and maintenance of other submarines. The US has a finite number of shipyards that can handle the PSA, and limited skilled labor, which would need to address any post-trial issues, not to mention drydock space.

Whether the Navy’s decision to skip the Massachusetts’ PSA is a calculated risk or an example of cutting corners has yet to be seen. Deferring the ship’s maintenance will not make any existing problems go away; it will simply shift the workload burden down the line, which could result in even greater logjams during future service life.

Of course, the US Navy may not have much of a choice. It is facing a capability gap as it begins to retire its Ohio-class converted cruise missile submarines (SSGNs), a niche that will be filled with the upcoming Block V Virginia-class boats. Avoiding the delays, or at least lessening the impact, seems to be a higher priority at this time.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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