Special Report

The US Navy's Newest Ships and Submarines

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

The strongest militaries throughout history have always been bolstered by a strong navy. And throughout the years, as newer technologies have led to advancements in propulsion and weapons systems and ever increasing naval strength, this old idea has only been reinforced.

The British Empire more or less ruled the world in the 18th century as a result of its maritime power. The British Navy was more advanced, with newer ships that could outmaneuver those of Spanish and French rivals. However, this power would eventually wane as the American Revolutionary War and Napoleonic Wars took their toll on the empire, leading to new world powers taking the stage with more advanced naval fleets. (This is the world’s largest navy.)

Although the United States does not currently have the largest navy presence, it ranks as the world’s strongest naval power. The U.S. Navy by itself boasts a fleet of over 240 ships and submarines. The biggest and oldest assets in the fleet are the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, which were a stabilizing factor throughout the Cold War. The U.S. owns 11 aircraft carriers overall, while countries like Russia and China only have one and three, respectively.

Looking ahead, the Nimitz-class carriers are starting to age out, as most are 30 years and older, and the U.S. is replacing them with the newer Ford-class supercarriers. The newest is the Gerald R. Ford which is just five years old. The Navy is replacing aircraft carriers on a one-for-one basis as they age out. (This is the world’s largest warship.)

To determine America’s newest warships, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the military data site World Directory of Modern Military Warships’ directory of all active ships in the U.S. and cross-referenced with data from the Naval Vessel Register. We compiled data on all ships and submarines — 33 in total — that have been commissioned in the service of the U.S. Navy for five years or less and ranked them by age.

Currently, the bulk of the U.S. Navy is made up primarily of the destroyer fleet, which accounts for nearly 30% of all naval vessels. The submarine fleet comes in a close second, accounting for roughly another quarter of the total strength of the force. Beyond this, an aging fleet of cruisers followed by Littoral Combat Ships and amphibious assault support ships accounts for the rest of the naval vessels.

The U.S. is in the midst of replacing, updating, and adding to its navy in a bid to maintain global domination at sea.

Here’s a look at the newest ships and submarines in the U.S. Navy.

Click here to read our detailed methodology.

35. USS Omaha
> Commission date: 2/3/2018
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Independence-class

[in-text-ad]

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

34. USS Colorado
> Commission date: 3/17/2018
> Unit type: Attack submarine
> Class: Virginia-class

33. USS Ralph Johnson
> Commission date: 3/24/2018
> Unit type: Destroyer
> Class: Arleigh Burke-class

32. USS Manchester
> Commission date: 5/26/2018
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Independence-class

[in-text-ad-2]

31. USS Indiana
> Commission date: 9/29/2018
> Unit type: Attack submarine
> Class: Virginia-class

usnavy / Flickr

30. USS Sioux City
> Commission date: 11/17/2018
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Freedom-class

[in-text-ad]

national_museum_of_the_us_navy / Flickr

29. USS Thomas Hudner
> Commission date: 12/1/2018
> Unit type: Destroyer
> Class: Arleigh Burke-class

28. USS Wichita
> Commission date: 1/12/2019
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Freedom-class

27. USS Michael Monsoor
> Commission date: 1/26/2019
> Unit type: Destroyer
> Class: Zumwalt-class

[in-text-ad-2]

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

26. USS South Dakota
> Commission date: 2/2/2019
> Unit type: Attack submarine
> Class: Virginia-class

25. USS Tulsa
> Commission date: 2/16/2019
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Independence-class

[in-text-ad]

24. USS Charleston
> Commission date: 3/2/2019
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Independence-class

23. USS Paul Ignatius
> Commission date: 7/27/2019
> Unit type: Destroyer
> Class: Arleigh Burke-class

22. USS Billings
> Commission date: 8/3/2019
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Freedom-class

[in-text-ad-2]

21. USS Cincinnati
> Commission date: 10/5/2019
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Independence-class

20. USS Indianapolis
> Commission date: 10/26/2019
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Freedom-class

[in-text-ad]

usnavy / Flickr

19. USS Hershel “Woody” Williams
> Commission date: 3/7/2020
> Unit type: Expeditionary mobile base
> Class: Lewis B. Puller-class

18. USS Delaware
> Commission date: 4/4/2020
> Unit type: Attack submarine
> Class: Virginia-class

17. USS Vermont
> Commission date: 4/18/2020
> Unit type: Attack submarine
> Class: Virginia-class

[in-text-ad-2]

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

16. USS Kansas City
> Commission date: 6/20/2020
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Independence-class

viper-zero / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

15. USS Tripoli
> Commission date: 7/15/2020
> Unit type: Amphibious assault ship
> Class: America-class

[in-text-ad]

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

14. USS St. Louis
> Commission date: 8/8/2020
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Freedom-class

13. USS Delbert D. Black
> Commission date: 9/26/2020
> Unit type: Destroyer
> Class: Arleigh Burke-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

12. USS Oakland
> Commission date: 4/17/2021
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Independence-class

[in-text-ad-2]

11. USS Miguel Keith
> Commission date: 5/8/2021
> Unit type: Expeditionary mobile base
> Class: Lewis B. Puller-class

10. USS Mobile
> Commission date: 5/22/2021
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Independence-class

[in-text-ad]

9. USS Daniel Inouye
> Commission date: 12/8/2021
> Unit type: Destroyer
> Class: Arleigh Burke-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

8. USS Savannah
> Commission date: 2/5/2022
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Independence-class

7. USS Frank E. Petersen Jr.
> Commission date: 5/14/2022
> Unit type: Destroyer
> Class: Arleigh Burke-class

[in-text-ad-2]

6. USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul
> Commission date: 5/21/2022
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Freedom-class

5. USS Oregon
> Commission date: 5/28/2022
> Unit type: Attack submarine
> Class: Virginia-class

[in-text-ad]

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

4. USS Montana
> Commission date: 6/25/2022
> Unit type: Attack submarine
> Class: Virginia-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

3. USS Fort Lauderdale
> Commission date: 7/30/2022
> Unit type: Amphibious transport dock
> Class: San Antonio-class

navymedicine / Flickr

2. USS Lenah H Sutcliffe Higbee
> Commission date: 5/13/2023
> Unit type: Guided missile destroyer
> Class: Arleigh Burke-class

[in-text-ad-2]

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

1. USS Santa Barbara
> Commission date: 4/1/2023
> Unit type: Littoral combat ship
> Class: Independence-class

Methodology

To determine America’s newest warships, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the military data site World Directory of Modern Military Warships’ directory of all active ships in the U.S. and cross-referenced with data from the Naval Vessel Register. We compiled data on all ships and submarines — 35 in total — that have been commissioned in the service of the U.S. Navy for five years and ranked them by age.

Get Ready To Retire (Sponsored)

Start by taking a quick retirement quiz from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes, or less.

Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.

Here’s how it works:
1. Answer SmartAsset advisor match quiz
2. Review your pre-screened matches at your leisure. Check out the advisors’ profiles.
3. Speak with advisors at no cost to you. Have an introductory call on the phone or introduction in person and choose whom to work with in the future

Get started right here.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.