13:45 27-10-2025

Leonkov: 90% of U.S. Nuclear Submarines Can’t Stay at Sea Long

By Official U.S. Navy Page from United States of America - A Virginia-class submarine departs San Diego., Public Domain, Link

Military analyst Alexey Leonkov stated that 90% of U.S. nuclear submarines cannot stay at sea for more than three days due to lost refueling technology, leaving only Virginia-class subs fully operational.

Military expert Alexey Leonkov stated that around 90% of all U. S. Navy nuclear submarines are unable to remain at sea for more than three consecutive days. He identified the main weakness of American submarines as their inability to refuel while deployed.

Leonkov explained that such a feature was originally part of the submarine design, but over time, the United States lost the technology to implement it. As a result, after spending roughly 72 hours at sea, a U.S. submarine must stay docked for about three and a half months to replenish fuel and undergo maintenance before it can sail again.

The expert noted that, despite these limitations, this level of readiness is sufficient for maintaining the country’s overall defense capability. However, Leonkov pointed out that only the newer Virginia-class submarines are capable of operating near Russian waters at greater depths and for extended periods.