US Navy s Most Expensive Attack Submarine To Rejoin Fleet 5 Years After Undersea Crash

US Navy s Most Expensive Attack Submarine To Rejoin Fleet 5 Years After Undersea Crash

US Navy

The USS Connecticut (SSN 22), a nuclear-powered submarine of the US Navy, is expected to return to service in late 2026. This comes five years after it collided with an uncharted seamount in the South China Sea, which caused significant damage to its bow and ballast tanks. Following the incident, the submarine had to navigate on the surface to Guam, then to San Diego, and ultimately to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington State for repairs.

Currently, the Connecticut, part of the Seawolf-class, is undergoing extensive repairs through a process called Extended Docking Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA). This repair phase officially commenced in February 2023. A spokesperson from the US Navy stated that the submarine is now in dry dock at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS IMF) in Bremerton, Washington, where both scheduled maintenance and repairs related to the 2021 incident are being conducted.

Initially, the Navy indicated that Connecticut might return to service by fall 2025, with the EDSRA expected to last approximately 31 months. However, the timeline has since been pushed back to late 2026. The Navy has not disclosed the total cost of the repairs. In 2021, Congress authorized $40 million for emergency repairs and an additional $10 million to replace the submarine's bow dome, but these figures only cover part of the expenses.

Images from 2023 reveal that the submarine is still lacking its sonar dome, and large sections of its anechoic sound-absorbing coating are missing from the sail. Experts point out that fixing the Connecticut is particularly challenging since Seawolf-class submarines are no longer in production, and only three were ever built. One of them, the USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23), has been specially modified, complicating the search for spare parts. Historically, the Navy has sourced parts from decommissioned submarines, but that's not an option this time.

The accident occurred in October 2021, and an investigation later revealed that the Connecticut struck an uncharted underwater mountain while operating in international waters in the Indo-Pacific. The grounding caused damage to its front section and ballast tanks, but thankfully, its nuclear reactor and propulsion system remained unharmed, according to Navy officials.

A spokesperson for the US 7th Fleet reported that the investigation determined the accident was due to a weak command environment and poor execution of critical tasks aboard the submarine. As a result of these findings, the Navy relieved three senior personnel from their duties: Commanding Officer Cmdr. Cameron Aljilani, Chief of the Boat Master Chief Sonar Technician Cory Rodgers, and Executive Officer Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Cashin.

The Seawolf-class submarines were originally designed during the Cold War to serve as formidable and stealthy undersea platforms. However, following budget cuts after the Cold War, only three submarines were completed. Each Seawolf-class submarine cost around $3.1 billion in 1983, which amounts to over $10 billion in 2025 dollars, making them the priciest attack submarines ever built.

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