American media reports that the new generation of American submarines is facing “significant delays.”

Reference News Network reported on July 14th
According to a report by the Washington Times on July 11th, it is estimated that the new generation of attack submarines from the United States will not be ready for sea for at least another decade, potentially challenging the country’s underwater advantage over the next ten years.
The latest report from the Congressional Research Service states that this new submarine, codenamed SSN (X), is expected to be completed no later than 2040. The report was submitted to Congress on the 9th. It was noted that the delay in the project was attributed to insufficient funding.
It is worth noting that the U.S. Navy applied for $623 million in research and development funds for the SSN (X) project in the fiscal year 2026 budget, yet it still set its completion date for 2040. Previously, in the budget request for the fiscal year 2025, the Navy had postponed the completion time from 2035 to 2040.
The Navy stated that this delay “will create a significant gap between the ‘Columbia’ class submarines and the SSN (X) design project, posing a major challenge to the foundation of the submarine design industry. The Navy will focus on addressing this situation.”
Regarding the procurement costs of the SSN (X) submarine, there are differing reports. According to the Congressional Research Service, the Navy estimates its cost to be slightly over $7 billion, while the Congressional Budget Office suggests it will be closer to $8.7 billion.
The Navy emphasizes that the SSN (X) submarine holds significant importance for the United States’ dominant position underwater. The report states that the SSN (X) will significantly surpass its predecessor, the “Virginia” class nuclear-powered attack submarine, in terms of performance.
The Navy highlights: “The development of the SSN (X) submarine aims to address the growing underwater threats from adversaries in a strategic competitive environment. The submarine will have higher speed, larger torpedo capacity, superior stealth performance, flexible adaptability to future threats, and stronger combat readiness capabilities.”
However, the project delay highlights the difficulties faced by the domestic shipbuilding industry innovation within the United States, a goal that the Trump administration has placed high priority. The report indicates that currently, only two shipyards in the United States are capable of building nuclear-powered submarines, namely Houton-Ingalls Shipbuilding Company’s Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Virginia and General Dynamics Electric Boat Company in Connecticut.
Last month, after weeks of threatened strikes by the Auto Workers Union, General Dynamics Electric Boat Company ultimately approved a new labor agreement through a vote by its union members, avoiding a potential production halt caused by a massive strike. (Translated/Wu Mei)