The U.S. Has Now Officially Begun Building Its New Nuclear Missile Submarine

Popular Mechanics: The U.S. Officially Begins Building Its New Missile Submarine

The Columbia-class submarines will serve more than 40 years and carry hundreds of nuclear warheads to sea at a time.

A U.S. shipyard has cut first steel for the first in a new class of nuclear-powered ballistic missiles submarines. Huntington Ingalls Industries has begun construction of USS Columbia, lead ship of the class set to enter service in 2031. Columbia (illustrated in the above image) and her sister ships will form the seaborne leg of the so-called U.S. nuclear triad, sailing the oceans of the world undetected for months at a time to form a powerful deterrent against surprise nuclear attack.

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Update: Watch: First Steel Cut for Columbia-Class Submarine (Maritime-Executive)

WNU Editor: 12 of these submarines are to be built.