HII Launches Virginia-Class Submarine Arkansas (SSN 800) at Newport News Shipbuilding

As part of a critical milestone in the construction process, the submarine was transferred from the assembly facility to a floating dry dock and subsequently launched into the James River. It was then maneuvered by tugboats to the shipyard’s submarine pier for final outfitting, systems testing, and crew certification.

- We remain focused on increasing production cadence to meet the growing demands of the U.S. Navy’s undersea fleet, said Bryan Caccavale, Vice President of Navy Programs at Newport News Shipbuilding. - Nuclear-powered submarines are vital to national defense, and seeing Arkansas in the water marks another major step forward.

Arkansas is the 27th Virginia-class submarine and the 13th built by NNS, underlining the company’s role as a cornerstone of the U.S. Navy’s submarine industrial base. The Virginia class is designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions, offering enhanced stealth, maneuverability, and firepower in contested environments.

The submarine’s sponsors are the six women of the historic Little Rock Nine—pioneers of school desegregation in the United States, symbolizing the vessel’s deep connection to American resilience and progress.

HII is a global, all-domain defense provider with more than 135 years of heritage supporting U.S. national security. Headquartered in Virginia and employing a workforce of over 44,000, HII delivers advanced capabilities across shipbuilding, unmanned systems, C5ISR, cyber, AI/ML, and simulation-based training. The company is committed to delivering the world’s most powerful ships and integrated defense solutions in support of peace and global security.