USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-795)

USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-795) is a Virginia-class attack submarine of the United States Navy. The second vessel named for Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, the "Father of the Nuclear Navy," it was constructed by General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut. Commissioned in 2023, the submarine is assigned to Submarine Squadron 4 and is homeported at Naval Submarine Base New London.

Construction and commissioning

The contract for the construction of SSN-795 was awarded to General Dynamics Electric Boat as part of a multi-boat block buy with Huntington Ingalls Industries. The keel was laid in a ceremony at the Quonset Point facility on 11 May 2018, with authentication by sponsor Dawn Moore, the daughter of the namesake. The submarine's pressure hull was completed and rolled out in early 2020 before being launched into the Thames River on 26 July 2020. Following extensive outfitting and testing, it was christened on 31 July 2021. The commissioning ceremony was held on 14 October 2023 at Naval Submarine Base New London, with principal speakers including the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, and members of the United States Congress.

Design and features

As a Block IV Virginia-class submarine, *Hyman G. Rickover* incorporates design improvements focused on reduced total ownership cost and increased operational availability. Key features include a redesigned bow with the Large Aperture Bow (LAB) array, replacing traditional hull-mounted sonar with a water-backed conformal array for enhanced acoustic performance. The submarine is equipped with a S9G reactor plant for propulsion, two Virginia Payload Tubes capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles, and a dedicated lock-out trunk for Naval Special Warfare personnel. Its combat system is centered on the AN/BYG-1 Tactical Control System and the AN/BQQ-10 sonar suite, integrating technology from the *Seawolf*-class and later *Los Angeles*-class submarines.

Service history

Following its October 2023 commissioning, *Hyman G. Rickover* commenced post-shakedown availability and final outfitting at General Dynamics Electric Boat. The boat conducted its first independent dive and underway period in early 2024, operating in the Atlantic Ocean under the operational control of Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic. Initial operations focused on testing ship systems, conducting crew certification drills, and performing acoustic trials. The submarine is assigned to Submarine Squadron 4 for administrative and tactical support, with future deployments expected to support the United States European Command and United States Africa Command areas of responsibility, contributing to NATO maritime security missions.

Namesake

The submarine is the second U.S. Navy vessel named in honor of Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, who served for over six decades. Born in Makov in the Russian Empire, Rickover emigrated to the United States and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1922. As director of the Naval Reactors branch, he oversaw the development of the USS *Nautilus* (SSN-571), the world's first nuclear-powered submarine. His relentless leadership and exacting standards were instrumental in creating the Nuclear Navy, influencing programs like the Ohio-class submarine and the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. The first namesake vessel was the *Los Angeles*-class submarine SSN-709, commissioned in 1984.