Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard said a new dry dock will support the readiness and lethality of the U.S. Navy's fleet.
Newly released photos show the United States is making progress on constructing a new dry dock at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to support its nuclear-powered submarine fleet in the Pacific Ocean amid a naval arms race with China.
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, located within Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, said on Wednesday that Dry Dock 5 was more than one-third complete. It will replace a dry dock built in 1942 and will be used to service Virginia-class attack submarines and larger surface ships. The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A photo provided by Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard on September 24, 2025, shows Dry Dock 5 under construction at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. Why It Matters Facing China’s military threat, particularly its fast-growing navy, the U.S. has maintained a presence of nuclear-powered submarines across three north-south island chains in the Pacific Ocean, including one that connects Alaska’s Aleutian Islands with New Zealand via Hawaii. While at least 35 Chinese shipyards have known ties to the country’s military or national security projects, the U.S. Navy operates only four public shipyards—built in the 19th and 20th centuries—including the one at Pearl Harbor, to maintain its combat ships, making it vulnerable in a conflict with China, the world’s largest navy by hull count. What To Know Photos shared by Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard on Facebook show the current progress of the construction of Dry Dock 5. The $3.42 billion project, began in August 2023, is scheduled for completion in 2027 and will support projected fleet maintenance requirements. Another photo provided by Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard on September 24, 2025, shows the construction of Dry Dock 5. “The new dry dock will support the #Readiness and #Lethality of our U.S. Navy Fleet, ensuring our naval strength remains unmatched. is more than just steel and concrete, it’s a commitment to the future of naval #readiness,” the shipyard said. A dry dock is designed to service a vessel’s hull. After floating a vessel into a three-sided basin, the seaward end is closed and all the water removed, allowing the vessel to settle on a cradle. When work is completed the basin is re-flooded and the seaward end opened to float the vessel out. Once completed, Dry Dock 5 will be 657 feet long. It is being built next to the 497-foot Dry Dock 3, the smallest of the four dry docks at Pearl Harbor. Dry Docks 1, 2 and 4 are 1,001, 975 and 1,099 feet long, respectively, according to an official document.
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