Fact check: Has the USA lost three submarines in the last 3 years

1. Summary of the results

Based on the comprehensive analysis of available sources, the USA has not lost three submarines in the last 3 years. The evidence consistently shows that while the US Navy has faced significant challenges with its submarine fleet, no submarines have been completely lost during this period.

The sources reveal several key incidents and challenges:

• The USS Connecticut, a Seawolf-class submarine, suffered major damage in a collision with an underwater seamount in 2021 and remains out of service undergoing repairs, with an expected return to service in late 2026 ^[1]
• Two class A afloat mishaps occurred on submarines in FY 2024, including one incident that resulted in a service member's death due to electrocution and another training incident with damaged equipment, but neither resulted in submarine loss ^[2]
• The USS Virginia became entangled in Norwegian fishermen's nets in 2024, but this incident did not result in loss of the submarine ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important context about the submarine maintenance crisis facing the US Navy. The sources reveal critical challenges that may have contributed to confusion about submarine losses:

• The Navy faces a three-year maintenance backlog and significant industrial capacity constraints that affect submarine availability ^[4]
• There has been a decline in the US submarine industrial base and challenges in submarine production capacity ^[5]
• The Navy has been working to extend the lives of aging Los Angeles-class submarines while building new Virginia-class attack submarines to maintain fleet size ^[6]

The question may have been influenced by confusion between actual submarine losses and high-profile incidents like the Titan submersible disaster, which involved a civilian deep-sea exploration vessel, not a US Navy submarine ^[7].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement appears to contain factual inaccuracies based on the available evidence. The claim that the USA has lost three submarines in the last three years is not supported by any of the analyzed sources. This misinformation could stem from:

• Conflation of incidents: Mixing up submarine accidents, maintenance issues, or civilian submersible disasters with actual submarine losses
• Misinterpretation of maintenance backlogs: The extensive repair and maintenance challenges facing the submarine fleet may have been mischaracterized as losses
• Confusion about operational status: Submarines like the USS Connecticut that are out of service for extended repairs may have been incorrectly reported as "lost"

The sources consistently show that while the US submarine fleet faces significant operational and maintenance challenges, no submarines have been completely lost in the specified timeframe.