Military Times | September 2, 2025

The keel for the U.S. Navy’s second Columbia-class submarine was laid during an Aug. 27 ceremony in Kingstown, Rhode Island, marking the beginning of the sub’s construction.

The vessel, currently designated SSBN 827, will be known as the Wisconsin, becoming the third in a line of warships that served with distinction in U.S. history. The original Wisconsin was the flagship of the Pacific fleet until 1903, while the second was an Iowa-class battleship that fought in numerous World War II Pacific battles and was resurrected twice to serve in the Korean and Persian Gulf Wars. Read More!