US continues to review AUKUS submarine deal as HII ticks off new Virginia-class sea trials
The Virginia-class submarine Massachusetts is the 12th in the class to be delivered by NNS. (Photo: Lexi Whitehead/HII)
The initial sea trials for Virginia-class SSN 798 conducted by Newport News Shipbuilding division and the US Navy marked an “important step”, but the ongoing AUKUS review casts a shadow over what the progress means for the partner nations.
On the same day that shipbuilder HII announced the successful completion of its initial sea trials for the 25th Virginia-class submarine – named Massachusetts (SSN 798) – John Noh, deputy assistant secretary for East Asia and Pentagon nominee, revealed that the US’s review of its involvement in the AUKUS project was still ongoing.
The sea tests took place over several days with a team from both Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) – a division of HII – and the US Navy, with a focus on proving the vessel’s capabilities. It was the first time the submarine had been submerged and it
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