On this date in 2003, the United States Navy announced that a contract had been awarded for a new vessel. The Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics in Groton, Connecticut, would build a Virginia-class submarine. Virginia-class submarines are designed for a broad range of open-ocean missions as well as operations closer to shore. They were developed as a less expensive alternative to the Cold War-era Seawolf-class submarines.
The news did not immediately resonate with North Dakotans. Building a submarine is a long process. Her keel was not laid until 2007. Laying the keel is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction and is marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilder and the government. The good news came a year later when the Secretary of the Navy announced that the new submarine would be christened the USS North Dakota.
Things seemed to be going smoothly when the Navy accepted delivery of the submarine in August 2014, two days ahead of her contract delivery date. During sea trials, the crew took North Dakota to test depth, conducted an emergency surfacing, and tested the propulsion plant. After final adjustments, the Navy’s newest boat was commissioned on October 25, 2014. Despite operating on the open sea, a submarine is traditionally called a boat rather than a ship.
The boat’s crest was designed with input from the crew and North Dakota residents. The motto, "Strength from the Soil, Reapers of the Deep," acknowledges the submarine’s connection to North Dakota. It represents the fighting spirit of the crew while also recognizing the state’s farming heritage. The green ribbon symbolizes agriculture as well as the colors of both the University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University. The shape of the crest is an arrowhead, representing the Indigenous heritage of the state.
The USS North Dakota carries a variety of weapons, including Tomahawk missiles. It is crewed by 113 officers and enlisted sailors. In 2023, the submarine entered Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for extensive maintenance. Nearly three years later, she was safely undocked and returned to service. North Dakotans can be proud of "their" submarine, which has been described as being "at the top of the food chain" beneath the world's oceans.
Dakota Datebook written by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic. “USS North Dakota (SSN 784).” https://www.sublant.usff.navy.mil/SSN784/Accessed 7/24/2026.
- Global Security. “SSN-774 Virginia-class.” https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/ssn-774-specs.htmAccessed 7/24/2026.
- Seacoast Online. “USS North Dakota undocks at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.” https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/local/2026/02/27/uss-north-dakota-submarine-undocks-at-portsmouth-naval-shipyard/88898580007/Accessed 7/24/2026.
- InForum.” Fast attack sub USS North Dakota is ‘top of the food chain’ in the world’s seas.”
- https://www.inforum.com/news/fargo/fast-attack-sub-uss-north-dakota-is-top-of-the-food-chain-in-the-worlds-seas Accessed 7/24/2026.
