The return of the nuclear-powered missile carrier USS Connecticut (SSN-22) to service has been postponed until at least the end of 2026

  The reason for such a long downtime was the severe damage to the hull and equipment sustained in October 2021 in a collision with an unknown seamount in the South China Sea, as well as the rarity of the boat itself: the Connecticut belongs to the small Seawolf class, designed at the end of the Cold War to confront the Soviet navy. In total, three such submarines have been built, and each of them is considered a strategic asset, so restoration requires unique components and technologies that are no longer produced.

The Pentagon stresses that the return of Connecticut to combat duty is critical for the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region. China's growing naval presence, including the expansion of its fleet of nuclear submarines and the creation of new bases on artificial islands, is forcing the US Navy to keep every available unit in service. At the same time, the Columbia program, the next generation of strategic submarines, is experiencing delays due to a shortage of qualified shipyards and a shortage of components. As a result, until 2030, the fleet can have only a limited number of high-class nuclear submarines capable of performing long-term covert patrols.

An internal investigation by the US Navy revealed that the accident was the result of systematic errors by the crew. In particular, the team violated navigation procedures, ignored sonar warnings and did not conduct a proper risk analysis in an unexplored area. As a result, the ship's commander and his deputy were dismissed, and several officers were reprimanded. The Navy has also revised the standards for training navigation calculations and will introduce additional simulators for submariners to avoid a repeat of the incident.

The Connecticut is being repaired at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton. First, engineers must completely cut out and replace the affected bow compartment, where the sonar system is located, and then upgrade the communication systems, weapons and reactor. It is expected that the work will require at least 400,000 man-hours and over 450 million dollars. In parallel, an upgrade to the Seawolf Block III level will be carried out, including new sensors and launch capabilities for unmanned underwater vehicles.