SSN-798 was part of a $17.6 billion contract awarded by the
United States Navy to prime contractor
General Dynamics Electric Boat to construct 10
Virginia-class submarines.
Ray Mabus, then
Secretary of the Navy, announced the name
Massachusetts on in an opinion piece for
The Boston Globe. She became the first Navy vessel to be named after the Commonwealth since the battleship , which was decommissioned in 1947. She became the eighth ship of the Navy or
Revenue-Marine (precursor to the
Coast Guard) to be named after the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She completed her initial sea trials on . The Navy accepted delivery on . Her commissioning ceremony occurred on at the
Conley Terminal in
South Boston. She was placed in commission with under tow nearby, and with three
Medal of Honor recipients in attendance:
Thomas G. Kelley,
Thomas Payne, and
Ryan M. Pitts. File:USS Massachusetts (SSN-798) during her first sea trials - 1.jpg|alt=NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (Oct. 8, 2025) The future Virginia class attack submarine USS Massachusetts (SSN 798) participates in sea trials. The future Massachusetts is the 25th Virginia class submarine produced through the combined efforts of HII-Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) and General Dynamics Electric Boat. The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the submarine from NNS on Nov. 21.|Stern view during sea trials File:USS Massachusetts (SSN-798) during her first sea trials - 3.jpg|alt=NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (Oct. 8, 2025) The future Virginia class attack submarine USS Massachusetts (SSN 798) participates in sea trials. The future Massachusetts is the 25th Virginia class submarine produced through the combined efforts of HII-Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) and General Dynamics Electric Boat. The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the submarine from NNS on Nov. 21.|View from above the bow ==Notes==