USS Iowa (SSN-797)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Iowa.

Iowa (SSN-797), a Virginia-class submarine, is the fourth U.S. Navy vessel named for the state of Iowa. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus officially announced the name on September 2, 2015, during a news briefing at Iowa State University.^[6]

USS Iowa (SSN-797)

Iowa being delivered to the US Navy in 2024
History
United States
Name	USS Iowa
Namesake	State of Iowa
Ordered	28 April 2014[1]
Builder	General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut
Laid down	20 August 2019[2]
Sponsored by	Christie Vilsack
Christened	17 June 2023[3]
Acquired	21 December 2024
Commissioned	5 April 2025
Identification	Hull number: SSN-797
Motto	"Our Liberties We Prize, Our Rights We Will Maintain" and "Fight Iowa, Fear the Gray Ghost"[4][5]
Status	In active service
General characteristics
Class & type	Virginia-class submarine
Displacement	7,800 tons
Length	377 ft (115 m)
Beam	34 ft (10.4 m)
Draft	32 ft (9.8 m)
Propulsion	S9G reactor auxiliary diesel engine
Speed	25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Endurance	can remain submerged for up to 3 months
Test depth	greater than 800 ft (244 m)
Complement	15 officers 120 enlisted men
Armament	12 x VLS tubes 4 x 21-inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes for Mk-48 torpedoes BGM-109 Tomahawk

Construction and career

Iowa's keel was laid down on 20 August 2019 at the Quonset Point Facility of General Dynamics Electric Boat in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.^[2] She was christened on 17 June 2023 by Christie Vilsack, the boat's sponsor and former First lady of Iowa.^[3][7]

On April 5, 2025, the USS Iowa (SSN-797) was commissioned at New London Subase in Groton, Connecticut, where the ship will be home ported.^{[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][a]}

Note

1. For the USS Iowa commissioning crew's reception on April 3, 2025, a special beer Underway Rack Stowed, which was a cream ale made with Iowa corn, was featured as a collaboration between Iowa based Big Grove Brewery and the Groton, Connecticut, based Outer Light Brewing Company located at 266 Bridge Street in Groton with Des Moines based Big Moe Cason, who is a U.S. Navy veteran that served aboard the USS Missouri (BB-63), which is sister ship of the USS Iowa (BB-61), providing the BBQ.^{[15][16][17][18][19]}