Fact check: Has the US lost three Navy subs

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, the US has not lost three Navy submarines. The sources consistently report on submarine incidents and fleet status without indicating any recent losses of three submarines ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]}.

The most significant recent incident involved the USS Connecticut, a Seawolf-class submarine that struck an uncharted underwater mountain in the South China Sea in October 2021, resulting in 11 injured sailors and significant damage ^{[1] [5]}. This submarine will remain out of service until at least late 2026 due to the collision ^[3]. However, this represents damage and extended repair time, not a loss of the vessel.

Historical incidents include the USS San Francisco collision with an underwater mountain that killed one sailor and injured 97 crew members ^[4], and documentation of sunken vessels like the USS F-1 submarine, but these are historical wrecks rather than recent losses ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important context about what constitutes a "loss" versus damage or temporary decommissioning. The analyses reveal that while submarines have suffered significant damage requiring extended repairs, this differs from complete loss of vessels ^{[3] [1]}.

The sources provide crucial context about the current state of the US submarine fleet, including plans to sell three to five Virginia-class submarines to Australia as part of the AUKUS pact ^[7]. This planned transfer could be misinterpreted as "losses" when they are actually strategic sales to allies.

Additionally, the analyses highlight operational challenges facing the submarine fleet, including crewing and maintenance issues ^[7], which could contribute to confusion about fleet readiness versus actual vessel losses.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question "has the US lost three Navy subs" appears to contain a false premise. None of the analyzed sources support the claim that three US Navy submarines have been lost ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]}.

This type of question could stem from:

• Misinterpretation of the planned AUKUS submarine sales to Australia as "losses" rather than strategic transfers ^[7]
• Confusion between damaged submarines requiring extended repairs (like the USS Connecticut) and actual vessel losses ^[3]
• Conflation of historical submarine incidents and wrecks with recent events ^{[2] [4]}

The question's framing suggests a predetermined assumption about submarine losses that is not supported by the available evidence from official naval sources and defense publications.