The Virginia Class attack submarine is the U.S. Navy’s newest undersea warfare platform
and incorporates the latest in stealth, intelligence gathering and weapons systems technology.
Attack submarines are designed to seek and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships;
project power ashore with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Special Operation Forces; carry
out Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance missions; support battle group operations;
and engage in mine warfare.
The Virginia class wa not the first new design to come into service after the Cold War.
The Seawolf class was originally intended to succeed the Los Angeles class, but production
was canceled after only three submarines were produced.
This restriction occurred due to budgeting restraints at the end of the Cold War, and
the final submarine was manufactured in 1995.
At a cost of $3 billion per unit, the Seawolf class was the most expensive SSN submarine.
The Virginia class was put into production in full swing due to being smaller and carrying
more manageable costs than the Seawolf.
The Navy is now building the next-generation attack submarine, the Virginia (SSN 774) class.
The Virginia class has several innovations that significantly enhance its warfighting
capabilities with an emphasis on littoral operations.
Virginia class SSNs have a fly-by-wire ship control system that provides improved shallow-water
ship handling.
The class has special features to support special operation forces including a reconfigurable
torpedo room which can accommodate a large number of special operation forces and all
their equipment for prolonged deployments and future off-board payloads.
The class also has a large lock-in/lock-out chamber for divers.
In Virginia-class SSNs, traditional periscopes have been supplanted by two photonics masts
that host visible and infrared digital cameras atop telescoping arms.
With the removal of the barrel periscopes, the ship’s control room has been moved down
one deck and away from the hull’s curvature, affording it more room and an improved layout
that provides the commanding officer with enhanced situational awareness.
Additionally, through the extensive use of modular construction, open architecture, and
commercial off-the-shelf components, the Virginia class is designed to remain state of the practice
for its entire operational life through the rapid introduction of new systems and payloads.
SPECIFICATIONS Length: 114.91 m
Beam: 10.36 m Displacement: 7,900 t
Payload: 40 weapons, special operations forces, unmanned
undersea vehicles, Advanced SEAL Delivery System
Propulsion: The S9G nuclear reactor delivering 40,000
shaft horse power.
Nuclear core life estimated at 33 years.
Test depth: greater than 240 m, allegedly around 490 m.
Speed: Greater than 46 km/h, allegedly up to 65 km/h
Planned cost: about US$1.65 billion each (based on FY95
dollars, 30-boat class and two boat/year build-rate)
Actual cost: US$1.5 billion (in 1994 prices), US$2.6 billion
(in 2012 prices)
Annual operating cost: $50 million per unit
Crew: 120 enlisted and 14 officers
Armament: 12 Vertical launching system and four torpedo
tubes, capable of launching Mark 48 torpedoes, UGM-109 Tactical Tomahawks, Harpoon (missile)s
and the new advanced mobile mine when it becomes available.
Block V boats will have the additional Virginia Payload module which contains four large diameter
tubes which can accommodate 7 Tomahawk cruise missiles each.
This would increase the total number of torpedo-sized weapons (such as Tomahawks) carried by the
Virginia class design from about 37 to about 65—an increase of about 76%.
Decoys: Acoustic Device Countermeasure Mk3/4
Building: 5 Planned: 48
Completed: 16 Active: 14