JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM (Jan. 31, 2024) Family and friends of the crew aboard the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS North Carolina (SSN 777) watch as the submarine returns to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam after a seven-month deployment, Jan. 31, 2024. North Carolina is the fourth submarine of the Virginia-class; the first class designated and built post-Cold War in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century, and has improved stealth, sophisticated surveillance capabilities, and special warfare enhancements that enable it to meet the Navy's multi-mission requirements. (U.S. Navy photo by Cmdr. Amelia Umayam)