The U.S. Navy is constantly involved in constructing new ships for its fleet. Although this generally follows a linear path, completing a new ship or submarine actually takes several years. Each new vessel undergoes a design phase, a shipbuilding phase, a trial phase, and finally, it is commissioned into the Navy. (These are the U.S. Navy’s newest ships in June 2024.)
To identify the newest ships and submarines that the Navy will be adding to its fleet, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed upcoming Navy commissionings from the Navy League, an online publication that tracks the construction and commissioning of naval vessels. We ordered these ships alphabetically and included ships at various stages of construction and commissioning but only those that have at least had their keel laid. Supplemental information about each ship’s hull number, class, construction location, and the current status came from the Navy League as well.
Among the newest vessels to enter the U.S. Navy are the Ford-class of aircraft carriers. These have been dubbed the next generation “supercarrier,” building on the innovations of the Nimitz-class, which was first introduced in the 1970s.
The flagship of this class, the Gerald R. Ford, is able to house a number of aircraft, including helicopters, fighter jets, and unmanned aerial vehicles. More of these aircraft carriers are currently in production, namely the John F. Kennedy and Enterprise.
Outside of these aircraft carriers, the newest rounds of vessels about to enter the U.S. Navy are predominantly the Virginia-class nuclear submarines and Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers. A few Independence-class and Freedom-class littoral combat ships are on the way as well. (This is the country with the world’s largest navy.)
Here is a look at the future ships and submarines of the U.S. Navy:
Why Are We Covering This?
Source: United States Navy via Wikimedia Commons
The ongoing process of adding new ships to the U.S. Navy, or fleet modernization, is important because it ensures a strategic advantage with the most technologically advanced navy in the world. Constantly developing and building these ships maintains a naval force capable of ensuring global security and stability.
USS Arizona (SSN 803)
Source: Petty Officer 1st Class Paul L. Archer / U.S. Navy
- Class: Virginia-class
- Type: Nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarine
- Status: Keel Laid December 2022
- Construction location: Newport News, VA
USS Arkansas (SSN 800)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Virginia-class
- Type: Nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarine
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Newport News, VA
USS Beloit (LCS 29)
Source: Public Domain / Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS)
- Class: Freedom-class
- Type: Littoral combat ship
- Status: Christened May 2022
- Construction location: Marinette, WI
USS Bougainville (LHA 8)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: America-class
- Type: Amphibious assault ship
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Pascagoula, MS
USS Constellation (FFG 62)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Constellation-class
- Type: Guided-missile frigate
- Status: Keel Laid April 2024
- Construction location: Marinette, WI
USS District of Columbia (SSBN 826)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Columbia-class
- Type: Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine
- Status: Keel Laid June 2022
- Construction location: Groton, CT
USS Doris Miller (CVN 81)
- Class: Gerald Ford-class
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Newport News, VA
USS Enterprise (CVN 80)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Gerald Ford-class
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Status: Keel Laid August 2022
- Construction location: Newport News, VA
USS Fallujah (LHA 9)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: America-class
- Type: Amphibious assault ship
- Status: Keel Laid September 2023
- Construction location: Pascagoula, MS
USS George M. Neal (DDG 131)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Arleigh Burke-class
- Type: Guided-missile destroyer
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Pascagoula, MS
USS Harrisburg (LPD 30)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: San Antonio-class
- Type: Amphibious transport dock
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Pascagoula, MS
USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124)
- Class: Arleigh Burke-class
- Type: Guided-missile destroyer
- Status: Christened July 2023
- Construction location: Bath, ME
USS Hector A. Cafferata (ESB 8)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: ESB-class
- Type: Expeditionary sea base
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: San Diego, CA
USS Idaho (SSN 799)
Source: Public Domain / Defense visual information Distribution Service (DVIDS)
- Class: Virginia-class
- Type: Nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarine
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Groton, CT
USS Iowa (SSN 797)
Source: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service / Public Domain
- Class: Virginia-class
- Type: Nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarine
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Groton, CT
USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Arleigh Burke-class
- Type: Guided-missile destroyer
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Pascagoula, MS
USS John Basilone (DDG 122)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Arleigh Burke-class
- Type: Guided-missile destroyer
- Status: Christened June 2022
- Construction location: Bath, ME
USS John E. Kilmer (DDG 134)
Source: usnavy / Flickr
- Class: Arleigh Burke-class
- Type: Guided-missile destroyer
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Bath, ME
USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79)
- Class: Gerald Ford-class
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Status: Fitting Out
- Construction location: Newport News, VA
USS Kingsville (LCS 36)
Source: Public Domain / U.S. NAVY
- Class: Independence-class
- Type: Littoral combat ship
- Status: Delivered March 2024
- Construction location: Mobile, AL
USS Louis H. Wilson, Jr. (DDG 126)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Arleigh Burke-class
- Type: Guided-missile destroyer
- Status: Keel Laid May 2023
- Construction location: Bath, ME
USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002)
- Class: Zumwalt-class
- Type: Guided-missile destroyer
- Status: Christened April 2019
- Construction location: Bath, ME
USS New Jersey (SSN 796)
Source: Ashley Cowan / U.S. Navy
- Class: Virginia-class
- Type: Nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarine
- Status: Delivered April 2024
- Construction location: Newport News, VA
USS Oklahoma (SSN 802)
Source: Courtesy of U.S. Navy via Facebook
- Class: Virginia-class
- Type: Nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarine
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Newport News, VA
USS Patrick Gallagher (DDG 127)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Arleigh Burke-class
- Type: Guided-missile destroyer
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Bath, ME
USS Pierre (LCS 38)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Independence-class
- Type: Littoral combat ship
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Mobile, AL
USS Pittsburgh (LPD 31)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: San Antonio-class
- Type: Amphibious transport dock
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Pascagoula, MS
USS Quentin Walsh (DDG 132)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Arleigh Burke-class
- Type: Guided-missile destroyer
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Bath, ME
USS Richard M. McCool (LPD 29)
Source: Courtesy of USS Richard M. McCool Jr. - LPD 29 via Facebook
- Class: San Antonio-class
- Type: Amphibious transport dock
- Status: Delivered Apr 2024
- Construction location: Pascagoula, MS
USS Robert E. Simanek (ESB 7)
Source: Public Domain / U.S. Navy
- Class: ESB-class
- Type: Expeditionary sea base
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: San Diego, CA
USS Sam Nunn (DDG 133)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Arleigh Burke-class
- Type: Guided-missile destroyer
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Pascagoula, MS
USS Ted Stevens (DDG 128)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Arleigh Burke-class
- Type: Guided-missile destroyer
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Pascagoula, MS
USS Thad Cochran (DDG 135)
Source: usnavy / Flickr
- Class: Arleigh Burke-class
- Type: Guided-missile destroyer
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Pascagoula, MS
USS Utah (SSN 801)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Virginia-class
- Type: Nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarine
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Pascagoula, MS
USS Wahoo (SSN 806)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Virginia-class
- Type: Nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarine
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Newport News, VA
USS William Charette (DDG 130)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Class: Arleigh Burke-class
- Type: Guided-missile destroyer
- Status: Under Construction
- Construction location: Bath, ME
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