The U.S. has launched it's 'most advanced' stealth sub, the USS South Dakota, CNN reported.
This comes amid mounting concerns that rival nations are threatening America's undersea dominance, as Russia and China rush to equal the U.S.'s technological edge.
Now the Navy hopes to maintain its power with the launch of the nuclear-powered USS South Dakota.
The 17th Virginia Class nuclear submarine is hailed as "one of the newest, most innovative fast-attack submarines in the United States Navy's fleet," according to the USS South Dakota commissioning committee.
The 360-foot submarine has been described as a "next generation of fast-attack submarines" which "offers an improved level of capabilities to maintain the nation's undersea supremacy well into the 21st century."
Navy spokesperson Lt. Seth Clarke said the USS South Dakota would incorporate "acoustic superiority" that would provide unparalleled stealth capability, CNN noted.
The submarine will be used as a "demonstrator to prove out advanced technologies."
Over the past few years, the Navy has introduced advances in new acoustics, sensors and quieting technologies that will be integrated in Virginia-Class submarines.
The USS South Dakota will serve as a learning curve for future generations of submarines.
"Lessons learned from South Dakota will be incorporated into Block V and later Virginia Class submarines, increasing our undersea domain advantage and ensuring our dominance through the mid-century and beyond," Naval Sea Systems Command Spokeswoman Colleen O'Rourke said, according to Scout Warrior.
Randy Forbes, a former U.S. representative told CNN that "stealth capability is one of the crucial advantages of submarines ... the Virginia-class brings capability and capacity that is so crucial as we head into potential peer conflict down the road."
The USS South Dakota, christened earlier this month, is expected to officially join the fleet in 2018.
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