The U.S. Navy celebrated an official flag-raising ceremony aboard the Virginia-class nuclear submarine USS Iowa.

The ceremony took place on April 5, 2025, in Groton, Connecticut, as reported on the USS Iowa’s official website. Attended by high-ranking Navy officials and the submarine’s crew, the event marked the beginning of the crew’s mission aboard the vessel.

“Those present at the ceremony included Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, former First Lady of Iowa Christie Vilsack, and Willie Ray Fairley, owner of Willie Ray’s Q Shack in Cedar Rapids – all of whom joined in celebrating this significant occasion,” the local CBS2Iowa news outlet reported.

The USS Iowa nuclear-powered submarine submarine is the third military vessel to bear the name of this state. The previous USS Iowa, a battleship, served between 1943 and 1990 and played a significant role in World War II, the Korean War, and the Gulf War, leaving behind a proud legacy.

Its construction started on August 20, 2019, at the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard in Groton, and the vessel was launched on December 21, 2022. Following the launch, the submarine began sea trials to confirm its specifications.

With a displacement of 7,800 tons, the submarine is armed with four 533-mm torpedo tubes capable of launching Mk.48 torpedoes and Harpoon anti-ship missiles, as well as 12 vertical launch system (VLS) cells for Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Currently, the U.S. Navy plans to build at least 66 Virginia-class submarines in various blocks (Blocks I–V and beyond), making SSN-797 approximately one-third of the planned total as of 2025.

Militarnyi previously reported that the American company General Dynamics is expanding its capabilities to construct and repair new nuclear-powered submarines.

As part of a signed contract between General Dynamics Electric Boat and Austal USA, the company will expand its facilities to construct Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines.

The agreement’s value is $450 million, allowing Austal USA to expand its infrastructure at its shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

Construction of the new facility started in the fall of 2024, with completion expected in 2026.