Naval Nuclear Power  ·  1939–Present

The Nuclear Navy

How Admiral Rickover Changed Naval Warfare Forever

On January 17, 1955, USS Nautilus sent a message that echoed through history: "Underway on nuclear power." In that moment, 5,000 years of wind and oar and steam propulsion ended — and a new era began. USS Albuquerque was born into that legacy, powered by a reactor that would carry her 1,100,000 nautical miles across every ocean on Earth.

71
Years of Nuclear Power
1954–2025
200+
Nuclear Submarines
Built (USN)
S6G
Reactor Powering
SSN-706
ZERO
Nuclear Reactor
Accidents at Sea (USN)
1.1M+
Nautical Miles
SSN-706 Alone
Section One

The Vision — From Fission to Fleet

The story of the nuclear navy begins not in a shipyard, but in a Chicago squash court — and in the mind of one stubborn, brilliant, impossible naval officer who refused to accept "impossible" as an answer. What followed was the most consequential transformation in the history of naval warfare.

1938
Nuclear Fission Discovered
On December 17, 1938, German chemists Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin demonstrate that uranium atoms can be split — releasing enormous amounts of energy. Lise Meitner and Otto Frisch provide the theoretical explanation and coin the term "fission." The military implications are immediately apparent to physicists worldwide.
1942
Chicago Pile-1 — The First Controlled Chain Reaction
On December 2, 1942, beneath the stands of Stagg Field at the University of Chicago, Enrico Fermi and his team achieve the world's first self-sustaining controlled nuclear chain reaction. Chicago Pile-1 produces 200 watts of power for 28 minutes. The Manhattan Project now has the proof it needs. Fermi's coded message to Washington: "The Italian navigator has just landed in the new world."
1944
The Navy Begins to Look
The U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships begins preliminary studies into the possibility of applying nuclear fission to submarine propulsion. The concept is radical: a submarine that needs no air for combustion, that can remain submerged for weeks or months, unlimited by fuel range. Most naval officers consider it science fiction.
1946
Rickover Assigned to Nuclear
Captain Hyman G. Rickover is assigned to the nuclear power section of the Bureau of Ships. He visits Oak Ridge National Laboratory and comes away transformed — convinced not only that a naval nuclear reactor is possible, but that he personally will build it. His transformation from skeptic to zealot happens in a matter of weeks.
1948
The STR Program Takes Shape
Rickover's group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory proposes the Submarine Thermal Reactor (STR) program — a pressurized water reactor designed specifically for submarine use. The concept uses ordinary water as both moderator and coolant, operating at high pressure to remain liquid above 100°C. Compact enough to fit in a hull. Westinghouse Electric is selected as the industrial contractor.
1949
Westinghouse Contract for S1W
Contract awarded to Westinghouse Electric Corporation for the S1W reactor — the Submarine Thermal Reactor Mark I. Simultaneously, a land-based prototype is commissioned at Arco, Idaho, to test and validate the design before committing it to a hull. Rickover insists on the land prototype over military objections that it wastes time. He is correct: the prototype catches critical design flaws.
1953
Mark I Prototype — Full Power at Arco, Idaho
The land-based S1W Mark I prototype at the National Reactor Testing Station in Arco, Idaho, achieves full power operation. On June 25, 1953, the prototype runs at full power for over 100 hours — simulating a transatlantic crossing while the reactor sits motionless in the Idaho desert. The concept is proven. The way is clear. USS Nautilus is already under construction.
Full Fleet Overview Los Angeles Class Virginia Class Columbia Class SSN-706 History
Section Two

Admiral Hyman G. Rickover — Father of the Nuclear Navy

No single individual shaped the modern U.S. Navy more profoundly than Hyman G. Rickover. He was abrasive, relentless, and brilliant — and he built the most successful nuclear safety record in history by demanding nothing less than perfection from every person in the program.

HGR
Admiral of the Fleet
Hyman George Rickover
1900 — 1986
Born: January 27, 1900
Makow, Russian Empire (now Poland)
USNA: Class of 1922
Columbia: M.S. Electrical Engineering, 1929
Naval Reactors: Director 1948–1982
Died: July 8, 1986, Washington, D.C.

The Man Who Refused to Accept "Impossible"

Rickover was born in Makow, Poland (then part of the Russian Empire) in 1900 and immigrated to the United States as a child. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1922, earned a master's degree in electrical engineering from Columbia University in 1929, and served in conventional surface ships and submarines before the war.

His assignment to the nuclear power section of the Bureau of Ships in 1946 changed everything. Where others saw insurmountable obstacles — engineering challenges, bureaucratic resistance, budget constraints — Rickover saw a problem to be solved. He spent the next 34 years solving it.

"The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war."

— Admiral Hyman G. Rickover

The Rickover Method: Rickover personally interviewed every officer seeking nuclear qualification — and rejected most of them. He demanded not mere competence, but a complete and intimate understanding of every system, every valve, every bolt. His interviews were famously terrifying: candidates sat in chairs with shortened front legs so they always felt off-balance. He turned off lights. He asked unanswerable questions — not because he wanted answers, but because he wanted to see how a man behaved under impossible pressure.

He served as Director of Naval Reactors from 1948 to 1982 — 34 years in a single position, longer than any other U.S. naval officer in history. When he finally retired at 82, under pressure from Secretary of the Navy John Lehman, he left behind a culture so deeply embedded in the nuclear program that it has never been dislodged. That culture is the reason the United States Navy has never had a nuclear reactor accident in 71 years of operations.

Direct relevance to SSN-706: Every officer who ever stood watch in USS Albuquerque's engine room was trained in a program Rickover built. The nuclear-qualified enlisted personnel who maintained that S6G reactor were certified under standards Rickover set. The zero-defect culture that kept 1,100,000 nautical miles of operations incident-free — that was Rickover's legacy, passed from officer to officer, decade to decade.

Rickover was promoted to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet — a four-star equivalent — making him one of the most senior naval officers of the post-WWII era. He was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal twice, in 1958 and 1983. Presidents from Eisenhower to Reagan consulted him. He testified before Congress more than any other military officer in history.

His legacy at Naval Reactors (NAVSEA 08) continues to this day. The office he built — with its culture of personal accountability, its refusal to cut corners, its insistence that every person in the program understand the consequences of failure — is the engineering bedrock on which every submarine in the modern fleet rests.

SSN-706 History Commanding Officers Honors & Awards Fleet Overview
Section Three

USS Nautilus (SSN-571) — The First

She was the most revolutionary warship in history. Not because of her weapons, but because of what drove her — the first nuclear reactor to propel a vessel through the world's oceans. Everything that came after, including USS Albuquerque, is her legacy.

June 14, 1952
Keel Laid — Groton, Connecticut
Keel laid at Electric Boat Division, General Dynamics, Groton, Connecticut. President Truman uses a gold-tipped welding tool to lay the keel. Nautilus would be the 571st submarine hull contracted by the U.S. Navy.
January 21, 1954
Launched — Christened by First Lady Mamie Eisenhower
USS Nautilus is launched at Groton, Connecticut, christened by First Lady Mamie Eisenhower. She is 323 feet long, displaces 3,764 tons submerged. Her S2W reactor sits at her heart, waiting to be brought to life. She is named for Jules Verne's fictional submarine — a name that would become the most famous in submarine history.
September 30, 1954
Commissioned
USS Nautilus is commissioned into the United States Navy. Commander Eugene P. Wilkinson takes command. The nuclear navy has begun — though the world does not yet know it.
January 17, 1955
"Underway on Nuclear Power"
At 11:00 AM, Commander Wilkinson transmits the message that will be remembered forever: "Underway on nuclear power." USS Nautilus slips her mooring lines at Groton and gets underway for the first time under nuclear power. She is the first vessel in 5,000 years of maritime history to be propelled by a nuclear reactor. The age of the nuclear navy has begun.
1955
Records Shattered Immediately
In her first year, Nautilus travels 1,381 miles in 90 hours completely submerged — shattering every previous record for submerged speed and endurance. Previous submarines could submerge for hours at most before their batteries were exhausted. Nautilus demonstrates that nuclear submarines have, for practical purposes, unlimited range and essentially unlimited submerged endurance.
August 3, 1958
Operation Sunshine — "Nautilus 90 North"
Commander William R. Anderson leads USS Nautilus under the Arctic ice cap in Operation Sunshine. On August 3, 1958, at 11:15 PM Eastern time, Nautilus becomes the first vessel of any kind to reach the geographic North Pole. The message "Nautilus 90 North" is transmitted and heard around the world. Anderson and crew receive the Presidential Unit Citation. President Eisenhower awards Commander Anderson the Legion of Merit personally. The achievement proves that nuclear submarines can operate anywhere on Earth — including beneath the polar ice cap, previously impenetrable and completely inaccessible to any military force.
March 3, 1980
Decommissioned — 25 Years of Service
USS Nautilus is decommissioned at Groton, Connecticut, after 25 years of service. She has traveled over 500,000 miles — more than any previous submarine in history. She is designated a National Historic Landmark and preserved as a museum ship.
Visit Nautilus

USS Nautilus (SSN-571) is on permanent display at the Submarine Force Museum in Groton, Connecticut — open to the public, free of charge. She is the world's first nuclear-powered vessel and a designated National Historic Landmark. Visitors can walk through her hull and experience exactly what the crew of the first nuclear submarine encountered. Learn more at www.ussnautilus.org.

Los Angeles Class Seawolf Class Virginia Class SSN-706 History Fleet Overview
Section Four

The Reactor Family — S1W to S1B

Over seven decades, the United States Navy developed a lineage of naval reactors — each generation more powerful, more durable, and more capable than the last. The S6G that powered USS Albuquerque sits at the center of that lineage: a mature, proven design that carried the Los Angeles class through the Cold War and beyond.

S2W
1954 — 1970s
~15,000
Shaft Horsepower
Successor to the S1W prototype. The reactor that powered USS Nautilus and the Skate class. Westinghouse pressurized water design. Proved the concept in operational service. Required periodic refueling.
Nautilus · Skate Class
S5W
1959 — 1990s
~15,000
Shaft Horsepower
The workhorse of the 1960s nuclear navy. Used in Skipjack, Permit, Sturgeon classes, and all 41 ballistic missile submarines of the "41 for Freedom" era. Over 98 U.S. submarines powered by S5W.
Skipjack · Sturgeon · 41 for Freedom
S6G
1976 — 2017+
35,000
Shaft Horsepower
The reactor that powered USS Albuquerque. General Electric design. All 62 Los Angeles-class submarines. More than double the power of S5W. Refueled once — SSN-706's ERO at Portsmouth, 2001–2003. 35 knots+ submerged capability.
Los Angeles Class (SSN-688)
S7G
1985 (Experimental)
N/A
Natural Circulation
Experimental natural-circulation reactor tested in USS Narwhal (SSN-671). No coolant pumps — silent by design. Significantly influenced quieting technology for successor designs. Produced no pump noise signature.
USS Narwhal (SSN-671)
S6W
1997 — Present
52,000
Shaft Horsepower
Seawolf-class reactor. Westinghouse design. 49% more powerful than S6G. Three boats: USS Seawolf (SSN-21), USS Connecticut (SSN-22), USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23, stretched). The most powerful attack submarine reactor ever deployed.
Seawolf Class
S9G
2004 — Present
40,000
Shaft Horsepower
Virginia-class reactor. General Electric / Bettis design. Life-of-ship fuel load — never needs refueling. 33-year service life without a refueling overhaul, achieved via higher-enriched initial fuel load. Transformative for maintenance costs and operational availability.
Virginia Class
S1B
2030s — Future
~40,000
Shaft Horsepower (Est.)
Columbia-class SSBN reactor. Turbo-electric drive system. Life-of-ship, 42-year fuel load. Designed for zero refueling overhauls across the entire service life of the most important strategic asset in the U.S. arsenal.
Columbia Class SSBN
PWR2/3
UK Reactors
~27,000
Shaft Horsepower
British Royal Navy reactors for Trafalgar (PWR1), Astute (PWR2), and Dreadnought (PWR3) classes. Developed with close U.S.-UK technology sharing under the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement — the bedrock of the AUKUS nuclear submarine partnership.
Royal Navy · AUKUS

Reactor Performance Comparison

Reactor Class / Platform Shaft HP Fuel Cycle Era Designer
S2W Nautilus / Skate class ~15,000 SHP Refuel 1954–1970s Westinghouse
S5W Skipjack / Sturgeon / Polaris SSBNs ~15,000 SHP Refuel 1959–1990s Westinghouse
S6G Los Angeles class (incl. SSN-706) 35,000 SHP Refuel (once) 1976–2017+ General Electric
S6W Seawolf class (SSN-21) 52,000 SHP Refuel 1997–present Westinghouse
S9G Virginia class (SSN-774+) 40,000 SHP Life-of-ship 2004–present GE / Bettis
S1B Columbia class SSBN (2030s+) ~40,000 SHP Life-of-ship (42 yr) 2030s+ Bettis / Knolls
SSN-706 Reactor Note

The S6G reactor in USS Albuquerque was refueled exactly once, during the Engineered Refueling Overhaul (ERO) at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard from 2001 to 2003 — completed in 20 months, the fastest refueling overhaul in Navy history at that time. Her spent fuel core was removed, a fresh core installed, and she returned to full operational status for her final 14 years of service. When she was decommissioned in 2017, her reactor was defueled at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard as part of the Navy's Spent Nuclear Fuel program — the safe, controlled, Rickover-designed end-of-life process that has operated without incident since 1954.

Seawolf Class Virginia Class Columbia Class Next-Gen SSN(X) Los Angeles Class
Section Five

The 41 for Freedom — America's First Nuclear Deterrent

From 1960 to the late 1990s, the United States maintained continuous undersea nuclear deterrence through 41 ballistic missile submarines — invisible, unreachable, unstoppable. At any moment during the Cold War, a significant fraction of America's strategic nuclear arsenal was beneath the sea, aimed and ready, crewed by men who hoped they would never need to fire.

41
Ballistic Missile
Submarines
16
Nuclear Missiles
Per Boat
30
Years of
Continuous Deterrence
S5W
Reactor Powering
All 41 Boats
George Washington Class
5 Boats · 1959–1965 · 16 Polaris A-1 Missiles

America's first ballistic missile submarines. Built by inserting a 130-foot missile section into an existing Skipjack-class hull. USS George Washington (SSBN-598) made the first deterrent patrol in November 1960, putting 16 Polaris missiles beneath the North Atlantic. The era of continuous undersea nuclear deterrence had begun.

Ethan Allen Class
5 Boats · 1961–1963 · Polaris A-2 Missiles

The first submarines designed from the keel up as SSBNs — not converted fast-attack hulls. Larger, deeper-diving, quieter. Carried improved Polaris A-2 missiles with greater range, allowing them to operate in more of the world's oceans while remaining undetectable.

Lafayette Class
19 Boats · 1963–1967 · Poseidon C-3 Missiles

The largest SSBN class in terms of numbers. Originally carried Polaris A-2/A-3, later upgraded to the Poseidon C-3 — a MIRV-capable missile that could deliver multiple independently-targeted warheads. 19 boats provided enormous patrol coverage.

James Madison Class
10 Boats · 1964–1969 · Poseidon / Trident I

Similar to Lafayette class. Most were later upgraded to carry Trident I C-4 missiles — substantially longer range, allowing patrols from secure bastions far from Soviet ASW forces. The transition from Polaris to Poseidon to Trident I spanned their careers.

Benjamin Franklin Class
12 Boats · 1965–1967 · Trident I C-4

Effectively a quieted version of the Lafayette class, incorporating noise reduction measures from the outset. Among the most capable of the 41-for-Freedom era. Most upgraded to carry Trident I missiles before eventual decommissioning as the Ohio class entered service.

The Context for SSN-706
Fast-Attack as Guardian

The Soviets built a massive anti-submarine warfare force specifically to hunt and track America's SSBNs. USS Albuquerque and her sister Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines were built in part to counter Soviet SSNs — to hunt the hunters, protect the boomers, and keep the deterrent credible. The fast-attack and the SSBN were two halves of the same strategic mission.

Ohio's Successor: Columbia Class Los Angeles Class SSN-706 History SSN-706 World Map
Section Six

The Ohio Class — 30 Years of Watch

When the 41-for-Freedom era ended, it was replaced by something even more formidable: 18 Ohio-class submarines, each capable of carrying 24 Trident II D5 ballistic missiles — the most capable submarine-launched ballistic missile ever deployed. The Ohio class maintained the watch from 1981 to the present, and will until the Columbia class replaces them in the 2040s.

18
Ohio-Class
Submarines Commissioned
14
Active SSBNs
(4 Converted to SSGN)
24
Trident II D5 Missiles
Per Boat
1981
USS Ohio (SSBN-726)
Commissioned

The 18 Ohio-class submarines were commissioned between 1981 and 1997, with USS Ohio (SSBN-726) leading the class. Each boat displaces 18,750 tons submerged — making them the largest submarines ever operated by the United States Navy. They are powered by the S8G reactor, producing approximately 60,000 shaft horsepower.

Four Ohio-class boats — Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Georgia — were converted to Guided Missile Submarines (SSGNs) under the 2002 Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty. Their Trident missile tubes were converted to carry up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles, transforming them from strategic deterrent platforms into the world's most capable conventional strike submarines.

SSN-706 Albuquerque and the Ohio class: Throughout her career, USS Albuquerque operated in the same oceans as Ohio-class SSBNs. Fast-attack submarines like Albuquerque served as the SSBNs' forward guard — screening their operating areas, prosecuting any Soviet or adversary submarines that might threaten the boomers, and keeping the deterrent credible. When Albuquerque hunted in the North Atlantic and Arctic, she was protecting the boats that held the peace.

The Ohio class will be fully replaced by the Columbia class (SSBN-826) beginning in the early 2030s. The first Columbia-class boat is expected to begin deterrent patrols by 2031, with full transition completed by the early 2040s.

Columbia Class SSBN Los Angeles Class Virginia Class SSN-706 History
Section Seven

Naval Nuclear Safety — 71 Years, Zero Accidents

One of the most remarkable safety records in the history of industrial engineering. More than 200 nuclear warships. Over 5,000 reactor-years of operation. Zero nuclear reactor accidents. This did not happen by luck.

ZERO
Nuclear Reactor Accidents in U.S. Naval Operations

As of 2025, the United States Navy has operated nuclear-powered warships for 71 years. More than 200 nuclear warships have been commissioned. Across all of those hulls, all of those years, all of those reactor-years of operation — not a single nuclear reactor accident. The commercial nuclear power industry, by comparison, has had multiple major accidents. The difference is Rickover's culture of absolute accountability.

The Navy's nuclear propulsion program — administered by Naval Reactors (NAVSEA 08) — runs one of the most rigorous quality assurance and personal accountability systems in any industry anywhere on Earth. Every nuclear-qualified naval officer is personally responsible for their plant. Every nuclear-qualified enlisted person understands the consequences of error. The program's culture descends directly and unbroken from Rickover's original design.

Training: Nuclear-qualified officers and enlisted personnel undergo a minimum of six months of classroom training at Nuclear Power School (now at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina), followed by extensive practical hands-on qualification. Naval nuclear training far exceeds the requirements for commercial nuclear plant operators. Qualification boards are rigorous and unforgiving. The standard is complete mastery, not mere competency.

The crew of SSN-706 Albuquerque included nuclear-trained officers and enlisted engineers who maintained that S6G reactor through over three decades of operations. The same culture Rickover built in 1948 was alive in that engine room on every watch, in every ocean, for 33 years.

U.S. Submarine Losses — What They Were Not

Two U.S. nuclear submarines have been lost — both tragedies that profoundly shaped submarine safety culture. Neither involved a nuclear reactor failure.

USS Thresher (SSN-593)
Lost April 10, 1963 · 129 Lives

USS Thresher, the lead boat of a new class of deep-diving attack submarines, was lost during post-overhaul sea trials approximately 220 miles east of Cape Cod. She had 129 men aboard — crew, Navy personnel, and civilian contractors. All were lost.

The Court of Inquiry concluded the most probable cause was a failure in a seawater piping system in the engine room, causing flooding that disabled electrical systems. With propulsion lost, Thresher sank past her crush depth. This was not a reactor accident.

The loss of Thresher directly produced the SUBSAFE program — one of the most comprehensive submarine safety certification programs ever created, covering hull integrity, flooding prevention, and damage control. Every submarine built since Thresher has been SUBSAFE-certified.

Not a Reactor Accident
USS Scorpion (SSN-589)
Lost May 22, 1968 · 99 Lives

USS Scorpion was lost in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 400 miles southwest of the Azores. She had 99 men aboard. Her wreck was located in October 1968 at a depth of approximately 9,800 feet.

The cause of Scorpion's loss remains officially classified as "unknown, most likely a weapons malfunction." Multiple theories have been proposed, including a torpedo malfunction or battery explosion. This was not a reactor accident.

The loss of Scorpion, occurring just five years after Thresher, further reinforced the already-intense submarine safety culture and drove additional investment in the SUBSAFE program and in weapons handling procedures.

Not a Reactor Accident
For Comparison

The Soviet/Russian Navy has had multiple nuclear submarine accidents, including the K-19 coolant loss (1961), the K-278 Komsomolets sinking (1989), and most catastrophically the Kursk disaster (2000), which killed all 118 aboard due to a torpedo explosion — not a reactor accident. Soviet/Russian reactor designs and safety culture differed substantially from the Rickover model. The contrast validates what Rickover built.

SSN-706 History Honors & Awards Fleet Overview Commanding Officers
Section Eight

SSN-706 Albuquerque and the Nuclear Legacy

USS Albuquerque was not merely a beneficiary of the nuclear program — she was its expression. Every nautical mile she ran, every mission she completed, every watch she kept was made possible by 30 years of refinement that began with Rickover's first nuclear physics course at Oak Ridge.

29
Years After Nautilus

SSN-706 was commissioned on May 21, 1983 — 29 years after USS Nautilus. She received the benefit of three decades of reactor refinement, from S2W through S5W to the mature, powerful S6G. What Nautilus proved in 1955, Albuquerque operated as routine in 1983.

35K
Shaft Horsepower — S6G

The S6G reactor produced 35,000 shaft horsepower — more than double the earliest naval reactors. That power translated to submerged speeds exceeding 30 knots, making SSN-706 faster than virtually any surface ship and most adversary submarines.

20
Months — Fastest ERO in Navy History

During her Engineered Refueling Overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (2001–2003), SSN-706's spent nuclear fuel core was replaced in just 20 months — the fastest refueling overhaul in Navy history at the time. It extended her operational life by more than a decade.

1.1M+
Nautical Miles Under Power

Over 33 years of service, SSN-706's S6G reactor powered over 1,100,000 nautical miles of operations. That is more than twice the distance from Earth to the Moon — traversed underwater, in silence, in service to the nation.

NPS
Nuclear Power School

Every nuclear-qualified crew member of SSN-706 trained at Nuclear Power School, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina — the same institution whose curriculum standards Rickover designed. Six months of nuclear engineering theory, followed by practical qualification.

2017
Decommissioned — Safe End of Life

When SSN-706 was decommissioned on February 27, 2017, her reactor was defueled at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard as part of the Navy's Spent Nuclear Fuel program. The safe, controlled, environmentally responsible end-of-life process Rickover designed — executed flawlessly, as always.

The commanding officers of USS Albuquerque were among the most highly selected naval officers in the world. Each was a nuclear-qualified submarine officer who had passed Rickover's program — or, in later years, the program Rickover's successors maintained in his image. Their engineering knowledge was not merely administrative; they understood their reactor as intimately as a surgeon understands anatomy.

The honors and awards earned by SSN-706 over her career reflect not just operational excellence but engineering excellence — the two were inseparable in a submarine where the reactor was both the sword and the shield. The oceans she crossed, the nations she shadowed, the crises she observed — all were enabled by the steady, silent, powerful output of that General Electric S6G reactor in her hull.

Full Deployment History Commanding Officers Honors & Awards World Map Photo Gallery Crew Portal
Section Nine

The Future — S1B and Beyond

The nuclear navy that Rickover built is not standing still. From the Columbia class to the next-generation SSN(X), the reactors of the 2030s and 2040s will extend Rickover's legacy into a world he could never have imagined — while remaining true to the principles he established.

S1B
Columbia Class · 2030s+

The S1B reactor will power the 12 Columbia-class SSBNs — America's next-generation ballistic missile submarine and the most important weapons system in the U.S. arsenal. S1B features a turbo-electric drive system that eliminates mechanical propulsion noise, a life-of-ship fuel load lasting 42 years, and zero planned refueling overhauls across the boat's entire service life.

The Columbia class and its S1B reactor are being developed at Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory (Pittsburgh, PA) and Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (Niskayuna, NY) — the same two national laboratories that have been the research engines of the nuclear navy since Rickover founded them.

Columbia Class Details →
SSN(X)
Next-Generation Attack Sub · 2040s+

The SSN(X) program will replace the Virginia class as America's front-line attack submarine beginning in the early 2040s. The reactor design for SSN(X) is under active development — expected to deliver substantially greater power than the S9G while maintaining or improving acoustic signature.

SSN(X) is designed to counter near-peer adversaries — particularly Chinese and Russian submarines that have closed the capability gap since the Cold War. Speed, depth, quieting, and weapons capacity will all be significantly improved. The nuclear plant will be central to achieving those performance goals.

Next-Gen SSN(X) Details →
AUKUS
Australia · UK · US · 2030s+

The AUKUS agreement — announced September 2021 — will provide Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines for the first time, leveraging U.S. and UK reactor technology. Discussions center on Virginia-class boats in the near term and a new tri-national SSN design (SSN-AUKUS) in the longer term.

AUKUS raises significant nuclear nonproliferation questions: naval reactors use Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU), which provides maximum performance but is weapons-grade material. The U.S. and UK argue naval propulsion is exempt from IAEA safeguards; other nations contest this. The debate will shape nuclear policy for decades.

Virginia Class (AUKUS Platform) →

The Office of Naval Reactors (NAVSEA 08) remains one of the most powerful and independent offices in the entire U.S. Navy. It reports to both the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of Energy. It operates with a degree of autonomy that Rickover designed specifically to prevent political interference in nuclear safety decisions. That design has survived every administration since Eisenhower.

Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory (operated by Westinghouse for the Navy) and Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (operated by General Electric/Fluor Marine Propulsion) continue to design, test, and certify every U.S. naval reactor. Their work is classified, unheralded, and essential. Every sailor who ever served in a nuclear submarine — every man who stood watch in USS Albuquerque's engine room — had their safety assured by the engineers at those two laboratories.

The chain of accountability runs unbroken: from Rickover at Oak Ridge in 1946, to the S1W prototype in the Idaho desert in 1953, to Nautilus beneath the North Pole in 1958, to Albuquerque in the North Atlantic in 1987, to the Columbia class on deterrent patrol in 2035. It is the same mission, the same culture, the same demand for perfection. It has never failed.

Next-Gen SSN(X) Columbia Class Virginia Class Seawolf Class Los Angeles Class Full Fleet Overview
References

Sources & Further Reading

The history of the nuclear navy is extensively documented. These sources provide authoritative reference for everything covered on this page.

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