How Many Submarines Does The US Navy Build Per Year?

The U.S. Navy has relied on submarines as an important part of its naval power since the invention of the Turtle, the first military sub, in 1775. Over the years, submarine technology improved, leading to the advent of nuclear-powered subs beginning with the U.S.S. Nautilus in 1954. Today's fleet includes ballistic missile and guided missile submarines, playing a major role in national defense. But how many subs does the U.S. Navy actually build each year?

According to The National Interest in 2024, the U.S. Navy builds an average of 1.3 submarines per year, with a focus on Virginia-class submarines over Columbia-class boats. But that number isn't what the Navy would like to see. The U.S. Naval Institute reported in March 2025 that two Virginia-class submarines were contracted per year from 2011 to 2024. However, the actual production rate has never matched that number. The estimated cost of those submarines is around $4.5 billion dollars each.

Used by the U.S. Navy, Virginia-class submarines are known as SSNs, are nuclear-powered, and can be equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles. Columbia-class submarines, known as SSBNs, have been in production since 2021, are also nuclear-powered, and will utilize ballistic missiles. Both submarine classes are built by General Dynamics in Connecticut and Rhode Island and by Huntington Ingalls Industries in Virginia. According to the U.S. Naval Institute, the first Columbia-class submarine is now facing up to an 18-month delay and as a result, won't be delivered until 2029.

Submarines have been an important part of the U.S. Navy's operations over the years, responsible for everything from warfare to gathering intelligence and a lot more. While the Navy only builds 1.3 of these submersibles per year, it aims to change that moving forward.

According to a National Defense piece in 2024, the U.S. Navy is looking to increase the number of submarines built per year to three by 2028. This would include one Columbia-class and two Virginia-class submarines. The effort, known as 1+2+Sustainment by 2028, also aims to ensure at least 80% operational availability for attack submarines while fulfilling commitments such as the AUKUS security agreement. But there are some pain points with making this goal a reality.

Production delays due to workforce shortages, as well as supply chain and material availability issues, have all been problems over the past several years. However, the Navy is pushing to make the program a success, investing in infrastructure improvements, workforce training and supplier support. But even with their best efforts at work, the 2028 target of three submarines per year may not be realistic.