HII hits construction milestone for Virginia-class sub USS Arkansas

HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division has reached a significant milestone in the construction of Virginia-class submarine Arkansas (SSN 800).

Arkansas (SSN 800) is now “pressure hull complete,” meaning that all of the hull sections were joined to form a single, watertight unit.

“It’s exciting to reach pressure hull complete, because it’s a visible sign that construction has progressed to the point where Arkansas really starts to take its final shape,” said Jason Ward, NNS vice president of Virginia-class submarine construction.

“We absolutely understand the important mission ahead for Arkansas and are working with urgency to get this powerful national security asset to the Navy as soon as possible.”

This milestone comes following the christening of Massachusetts (SSN 798) and keel authentication of Oklahoma (SSN 802) at NNS so far in 2023.

Arkansas is the Navy’s 27th Virginia-class fast attack submarine. The ship’s sponsors are the six women of the historic group known as the Little Rock Nine, the first African American students to attend all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, during desegregation. NNS honored all nine members, including the three men, during the November 2022 keel authentication ceremony.