Key Points and Summary – The Seawolf-class submarine USS Connecticut (SSN-22) remains in dry dock four years after its October 2021 collision with an uncharted seamount in the South China Sea.
-The incident, which caused severe damage and led to the firing of its command team, has left the submarine in a lengthy and complex repair process at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
The U.S. Navy attack submarine, USS Seawolf (SSN 21), conducts Bravo sea trials off the coast of Connecticut in preparation for its scheduled commissioning in July 1997. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
-The vessel’s return to service has now been delayed by over a year to late 2026, a setback largely attributed to the scarcity of parts for the rare, three-boat class, highlighting critical strains on the U.S. submarine industrial base.
USS Connecticut (SSN-22) : The U.S. Seawolf-Class Submarine That Hit a Mountain Is Still Broken
Connecticut is one of the original 13 colonies that ended up forming the United States of America, officially becoming the fifth state of the union on January 9, 1788.
149 years prior, Connecticut Colony wrote and adopted the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, a set of laws establishing Connecticut as its own colony separate from Massachusetts.
That document is believed to be the first written constitution of a democratic government; hence, Connecticut is nicknamed “The Constitution State.”
Connecticut is a coastal state, so appropriately enough, it has had five US Navy vessels named in its honor.
The most current warship bearing that moniker is the Seawolf-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN-22). Alas, SSN-22 has a bit of a black mark on her history, as she is one of two USN subs known to have struck a seamount.
National Security Journal now reports on the status of the efforts to repair her and make her seaworthy again.
USS Connecticut vs. Seamount Backstory
The star-crossed submarine incident took place sometime in October 2021, somewhere underneath the South China Sea; the location of the incident added embarrassment and insult to injury for the American Navy, as it spurred allegations by China about spying on its own submarine base in Hainan (which the USN vigorously denied, naturally).
The seamount was uncharted; according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an estimated 100,000 seamounts could rise more than 3,000 feet (914 meters) from the seafloor.
(Nov. 17, 2009) USS Connecticut (SSN 22) steams through the Pacific Ocean after participating in a 26 ship formation photo exercise. George Washington, the Navyís only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier participated in a photo exercise which was the culmination of ANNUALEX 21G, the largest annual bilateral exercise with the U.S. Navy and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Adam K. Thomas/RELEASED)
Luckily, no sailors were killed (unlike in the tragic case of USS San Francisco, the other USN sub to suffer the misfortune of a seamount strike), and the vessel was able to safely reach Guam under its own power a week later.
However, 11 crew members were still injured, and moreover, the ship was so badly damaged that she was unable to properly ascend toward the surface for 11 minutes; finally, at a depth of 74 feet (22.55 meters) and increasing, the Chief of the Watch (COW) restored the trim pumps by pumping from one vented auxiliary tank to another.
Once that restoration was done, the COW commenced de-ballasting and pumped approximately 100,000 lbs. (45,359 kg) of water overboard.
The incident leaves only two currently operational Seawolf subs, the USS Seawolf (SSN-21; lead ship of the class) and USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23).
So then, why did this debacle happen?
The short version: An investigation led by the 7th Fleet concluded that the collision resulted from command failures and poor execution of essential tasks aboard, leading to the dismissal of the commanding officer (CO), Commander Cameron Aljilani, the executive officer (XO), and the Chief of the Boat (COB).
Damage Report/Repair Update
Where is she now?
According to a 17 July 2025 report by Army Recognition (yes, Army-Navy rivalry notwithstanding, the Army Recognition publication also covers naval technology), “Currently, USS Connecticut is in dry dock at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility, undergoing a complex maintenance and repair program under the Extended Docking Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA) process, which officially began in February 2023.”
USS Connecticut (SSN 22) is docked for its Extended Docking Selected Restricted Availability July 12, 2023 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard; Intermediate Maintenance Facility.
USS Connecticut Seawolf-Class Submarine. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The article adds that “The Navy initially anticipated a return to service by fall 2025, but this has been delayed to late 2026.
A Navy spokesperson indicated that Connecticut’s repair is a priority for both Puget Sound Naval Shipyard teams and Naval Sea Systems Command, who continue to invest in materials, infrastructure, and workforce to meet fleet operational needs.”
A big reason for the delay is the scarcity of Seawolf-class specific parts, as only three units were built out of the 29 hulls originally planned (intended to replace the aging Los Angeles-class SSNs) before production ceased following post-Cold War budget cuts.
That in turn increases the sense of urgency to get additional Virginia-class SSNs up and running and bring the USN’s SSN fleet up to date.
It also underscores the limitations of US industrial capacity to sustain its submarine fleet, hence the BuildSubmarines recruiting campaign.
USS Connecticut (SSN-22) Initial History in Brief
USS Connecticut is the second ship of the Seawolf-class of nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines (SSN; “Submersible Ship Nuclear”).
She was laid down on September 14, 1992, launched on September 1, 1997, and commissioned on December 11, 1998.
SSN-22 displaces 9,138 tons fully laden whilst submerged, has a hull length of 353 feet (108 meters), and has a maximum submerged speed of approximately 35 knots (20 knots in silent mode).
Connecticut has a crew complement of 14 commissioned officers and 126 enlisted seamen, and an armament suite consisting of eight 26-inch (660 mm) torpedo tubes for Mk-48 ADCAP torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The boat cost $3.1 billion USD to build, which, when adjusted for inflation, exceeds $10 billion in 2025 dollars.
About the Author: Christian D. Orr, Defense Expert
Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He is also the author of the newly published book “Five Decades of a Fabulous Firearm: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Beretta 92 Pistol Series.”
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