The Big Take
The US Is Racing to Rebuild Its Submarine Power Before China Catches Up
Inside the effort to deliver a ‘transformational improvement’ in how the US builds submarines, vital to preserving its undersea advantage.
The US Navy's 25th Virginia-class submarine, Massachusetts, completed initial sea trials in October 2025.
Photographer: Ashley Cowan/HII
China’s Victory Day parade in September showed off a new, uncrewed submarine the size of a semi-truck — meant to keep tabs on US vessels and seafloor cables — and shined a spotlight on Beijing’s investment in the undersea domain.
The US submarine industry, by contrast, is struggling to get out of drydock after years of delays, rising costs and a weakened industrial base.