WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy has officially begun construction on its second Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine, the future USS Wisconsin (SSBN 827), during a keel-laying ceremony at General Dynamics Electric Boat’s Quonset Point facility in Rhode Island on August 27, 2025.
The milestone was marked in symbolic fashion — the ceremony was held on 8/27 to align with the submarine’s hull number. Ship Sponsor Dr. Kelly Geurts authenticated the keel by welding her initials onto a steel plate, assisted by veteran welder Robert Ray Jr., who has worked at Electric Boat for nearly five decades.
The Columbia-class program is the Navy’s top shipbuilding priority, replacing the aging Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines that form the backbone of America’s sea-based nuclear deterrent.
Admiral William Houston, speaking at the event, highlighted the symbolic importance of the keel plate, noting:
“While submarines do not have a traditional keel, the authenticated plate will be permanently affixed within the hull as the vessel’s point of origin.”
He added that the Columbia-class will serve as a vital strategic deterrent, emphasizing:
“This platform will carry more explosive firepower than was delivered in all of World War II.”
The USS Wisconsin will be the third U.S. naval vessel to bear the state’s name. The first was Battleship BB-9, commissioned in 1901, later used as a World War I training ship. The second, Battleship BB-64, served in World War II, Korea, and the Gulf War before being decommissioned in 1991 and preserved as a museum ship in Norfolk, Virginia.
Residents of Wisconsin celebrated the milestone remotely through watch parties held at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum and the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center, reinforcing the state’s ties to the vessel.
Once complete, USS Wisconsin will be among the most advanced submarines ever built:
At 560 feet long, 43 feet wide, and displacing 20,810 tons, the Columbia-class will be the largest submarine class in U.S. history.
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Equipped with 16 Trident II D5LE nuclear missiles and Mk 48 torpedoes.
Features an S1B nuclear reactor designed to last its full 42-year service life without refueling, enabling 124 deterrent patrols.
Incorporates turbo-electric propulsion and advanced noise-reduction technologies, including anechoic coatings and a pump-jet propulsor.
The construction is part of a massive industrial effort shared between General Dynamics Electric Boat (performing about 78% of the work) and Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding (handling about 22%).
More than 3,000 suppliers nationwide, including 300 Wisconsin-based companies, contribute materials and components to the Columbia-class program. Electric Boat alone has hired 5,000 new workers in recent years, training 700–1,000 welders annually to meet demand.
To support the program, General Dynamics has invested $2.2 billion in facilities, including a dedicated manufacturing center for missile tubes that also supports Virginia-class submarines.
The Columbia-class will replace the 14 Ohio-class submarines, which will begin retiring in 2027. In total, the Navy plans to build 12 Columbia-class SSBNs, projected to cost more than $132 billion. The USS Wisconsin is scheduled for christening in 2029 and commissioning in 2031.
However, the program has faced delays. The Government Accountability Office reported in 2024 that the lead submarine, USS District of Columbia, was delayed by up to a year due to supply chain bottlenecks and workforce readiness challenges. These setbacks raise concerns given the Navy’s requirement for at least 10 deployable ballistic submarines at all times.
Despite these hurdles, the keel-laying of USS Wisconsin represents a significant step forward. It not only underscores the Navy’s commitment to maintaining its strategic nuclear deterrent but also highlights the nationwide workforce and industrial base supporting the project.
Originally reported by Army Recognition News.
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