The Los Angeles-class submarine USS Newport News (SSN 750) makes its way down the Thames River after departing Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn. for the final time on Friday, January 16, 2026, as it heads for decommissioning after nearly 37 years of service in the United States Navy.
The Los Angeles-class submarine is the third Naval ship to be named for Newport News, and the last second flight submarine in the class.
Last week, RFA leadership finally met with Maritime Trade Unions to present the 2025/26 pay offer.
It was no surprise to anyone that it did not meet expectations, and both Nautilusint
and RMTunion formally rejected the proposal on behalf of all employees. Strike action is probably imminent.
The RFA hopes to get ACAS involved in arbitration, but decent pay is the only solution to declining morale and further loss of people from the RN’s critical logistic support service.
In 2019, the RN was offered the Littoral Strike Ship, almost readily available on an affordable wet-lease charter. Instead, in 2022, it was decided to run RFA Argus past 2030 (at that point, 41 years old).
A closer look at the Littoral Strike Ship concept can be read on the link: