The USS Connecticut, one of the three valuable submarines of the U.S. Navy’s Seawolf class, has been undergoing repairs since 2021, when it collided with an underwater mountain in the South China Sea.
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Originally, the submarine was expected to return to the fleet in 2025, but the process has turned out to be more complex than anticipated. The Navy has now confirmed that the vessel will only be operational by the end of 2026, following extensive repairs at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington.
The accident, which severely damaged the submarine’s hull and sonar system, exposed failures in command and execution of critical procedures, leading to the removal of three key officers. The lack of spare parts for the Seawolf class—which includes only three units, such as the highly specialized USS Jimmy Carter—has made repairs more difficult. The Navy even requested funding to manufacture a new backup sonar dome, as none are available in stock.
The delay in restoring the Connecticut is another setback for the U.S. submarine fleet, which is already facing chronic maintenance challenges and delays in the future SSN(X) program, the successor to the Seawolf class.
In the meantime, the Navy will have only one fully operational Seawolf-class submarine until 2026, underscoring the urgency of completing the repairs—regardless of cost—to strengthen its strategic presence in the Pacific.
Source: The War Zone | Photo: X @USNavy | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
