Description Attack submarines are designed to seek and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships; project power ashore with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Special Operation Forces (SOF); carry out Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions; support battle group operations; and engage in mine warfare.

Background

With the number of foreign diesel-electric/air-independent propulsion submarines increasing, the United States Submarine Force relies on its technological superiority and the speed, endurance, mobility, stealth, and payload afforded by nuclear power to retain its preeminence in the undersea battlespace. 

The Navy has three classes of SSNs in service. Los Angeles-class (SSN 688) submarines have been the backbone of the submarine force for the last 40 years, with approximately 23 now in commission. They are equipped with 12 Vertical Launch System (VLS) tubes for firing Tomahawk cruise missiles. 

The Navy also has three Seawolf-class submarines. The first of the class, USS Seawolf (SSN 21) was commissioned July 19, 1997. 

 Instead of VLS, the Seawolf class has eight torpedo tubes and can hold up to 50 weapons in its torpedo room. The third ship of the class, USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23), has a 100-foot hull extension called the multi-mission platform. This hull section provides for additional payloads to accommodate advanced technology used to carry out classified research and development and for enhanced warfighting capabilities. 

The Navy continues to build the next-generation attack submarine, the Virginia (SSN 774) class. To date, 23 Virginia class have been commissioned, replacing Los Angeles class submarines as they retire. The Virginia class has several innovations that significantly enhance its warfighting capabilities, including in littoral -- or coastal -- operations. The class has special features to support SOF, including a reconfigurable torpedo room which can accommodate a large number of SOF personnel and all their equipment for prolonged deployments, as well as future off-board payloads. The class also has a large lockout trunk 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. 

As part of the Virginia-class' third, or Block III, contract, the Navy redesigned approximately 20 percent of the ship to reduce their acquisition costs. Most of the changes are found in the bow where the traditional, air-backed sonar sphere has been replaced with a water-backed Large Aperture Bow array which reduces acquisition and life-cycle costs while providing enhanced passive detection capabilities. The new bow also replaces the 12 individual Vertical Launch System (VLS) tubes with two large diameter 87-inch Virginia Payload Tubes (VPTs), each capable of launching six Tomahawk cruise missiles using Multiple All-up Round Canisters already employed on guided missile submarines (SSGNs). The VPTs simplify construction, reduce acquisition costs, and provide for more payload flexibility than the smaller VLS tubes due to their added volume. 

The next major change is the incorporation of the Virginia Payload Module (VPM), starting with the second Block V ship, SSN 803, currently under construction. VPM incorporates four additional large diameter payload tubes in a new hull section located amidships. Each VPM payload tube is capable of carrying seven Tomahawk cruise missiles adding 28 missiles per VPM. VPM reconstitutes the ability to host dry deck shelters, further enhancing SOF capability, and allows the Navy to host additional advanced payloads via multiple ocean interfaces. Block V hulls include the 10 ships procured from 2019 through 2023 (SSNs 802-811).

Two additional future Blocks, Blocks VI and VII, will leverage Block V modifications and future changes.
 

General Characteristics, Virginia Class
Builder: General Dynamics Electric Boat and HII- Newport News Shipbuilding
Date Deployed: USS Virginia commissioned Oct. 3, 2004
Propulsion: One nuclear reactor, one shaft
Length: 377 feet (114.8 meters); 461 feet (140.5 meters) with Virginia Payload Module
Beam: 34 feet (10.36 meters)
Displacement: Approximately 7,800 tons (7,925 metric tons) submerged; 10,200 tons (10,363.7 metric tons) with VPM
Speed: 25+ knots (28+ miles per hour, 46.3+ kph)
Crew: 145: 17 officers; 128 enlisted
Armament: Tomahawk missiles, 12 Vertical Launch System tubes (SSNs 774-783) or two Virginia Payload Tubes (SSNs 784 and beyond, and four additional payload tubes (SSNs 803 and beyond); Mk 48 Advanced Capability torpedoes, four torpedo tubes
Ships:
USS Virginia (SSN 774) Groton, Connecticut
USS Texas (SSN 775) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
USS Hawaii (SSN 776) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
USS North Carolina (SSN 777) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
USS New Hampshire (SSN 778) Norfolk, Virginia
USS New Mexico (SSN 779) Norfolk, Virginia
USS Missouri (SSN 780) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
USS California (SSN 781) Groton, Connecticut
USS Mississippi (SSN 782) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
USS Minnesota (SSN 783) Guam
USS North Dakota (SSN 784) Groton, Connecticut
USS John Warner (SSN 785) Norfolk, Virginia
USS Illinois (SSN 786) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
USS Washington (SSN 787) Portsmouth, New Hampshire
USS Colorado (SSN 788) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
USS Indiana (SSN 789) Groton, Connecticut
USS South Dakota (SSN 790) Groton, Connecticut
USS Delaware (SSN 791) Groton, Connecticut
USS Vermont (SSN 792) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
USS Oregon (SSN 793) Groton, Connecticut
USS Montana (SSN 794) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795) Groton, Connecticut
USS New Jersey (SSN 796)  Norfolk, Virginia
Iowa (SSN 797)  Christened June 17, 2023
Massachusetts (SSN 798)  Christened May 6, 2023
Idaho (SSN 799)  Christened Mar. 16, 2024
Arkansas (SSN 800)  Christened Dec. 7, 2024
Utah (SSN 801)  Keel laid Sept. 1, 2021
Oklahoma (SSN 802)  Keel laid Aug. 2, 2023
Arizona (SSN 803)  Keel laid Dec 7, 2022
Barb (SSN 804)  Under construction
Tang (SSN 805)  Keel laid Aug. 17, 2023
Wahoo (SSN 806)  Under construction
Silversides (SSN 807)  Under construction
John H. Dalton (SSN 808) Under construction
Long Island (SSN 809)  Under construction
San Francisco (SSN 810)  Under construction
Miami (SSN 811)  Under construction

 

General Characteristics, Seawolf Class
Builder: General Dynamics Electric Boat Division.
Date Deployed: USS Seawolf commissioned July 19, 1997
Propulsion: One nuclear reactor, one shaft
Length: SSNs 21 and 22: 353 feet (107.6 meters); SSN 23: 453 feet (138.07 meters)
Beam: 40 feet (12.2 meters)
Displacement: SSNs 21 and 22: 9,138 tons (9,284 metric tons) submerged; SSN 23 12,158 tons (12,353 metric tons) submerged
Speed: 25+ knots (28+ miles per hour, 46.3+ kph)
Crew: 140: 14 officers; 126 enlisted
Armament: Tomahawk missiles, MK48 torpedoes, eight torpedo tubes
Ships:
USS Seawolf (SSN 21) Bremerton, Washington
USS Connecticut (SSN 22) Bremerton, Washington
USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23) Bangor, Washington
 
General Characteristics, Los Angeles Class
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding Co.; General Dynamics Electric Boat Division
Date Deployed: Nov. 13, 1976 (USS Los Angeles)
Propulsion: One nuclear reactor, one shaft
Length: 360 feet (109.73 meters)
Beam: 33 feet (10.06 meters)
Displacement: Approximately 6,900 tons (7011 metric tons) submerged
Speed: 25+ knots (28+ miles per hour, 46.3 +kph)
Crew: 16 officers; 127 enlisted
Armament: Tomahawk missiles, Vertical Launch System  tubes (SSN 719 and later), MK 48 torpedoes, four torpedo tubes
Ships:
USS Helena (SSN 725) Norfolk, Virginia
USS Newport News (SSN 750) Groton, Connecticut
USS Pasadena (SSN 752) Norfolk, Virginia
USS Albany (SSN 753) Norfolk, Virginia
USS Topeka (SSN 754) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
USS Scranton (SSN 756) San Diego, California 
USS Alexandria (SSN 757) San Diego, California
USS Asheville (SSN 758) Guam
USS Jefferson City (SSN 759) Guam
USS Annapolis (SSN 760) Guam
USS Springfield (SSN 761) Guam
USS Columbus (SSN 762) Norfolk, Virginia
USS Santa Fe (SSN 763) San Diego, California
USS Boise (SSN 764) Norfolk, Virginia
USS Montpelier (SSN 765) Norfolk, Virginia
USS Charlotte (SSN 766) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
USS Hampton (SSN 767) San Diego, California
USS Hartford (SSN 768) Groton, Connecticut
USS Toledo (SSN 769) Norfolk, Virginia
USS Tucson (SSN 770) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
USS Columbia (SSN 771) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
USS Greeneville (SSN 772)Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
USS Cheyenne (SSN 773) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Point of Contact
Naval Sea Systems Command
Office of Corporate Communication (SEA 00D)

Washington, D.C. 20376

(202) 781-4123