The newest Virginia-class Block V submarine iteration will truly represent a floating arsenal.
Though many of the US Navy’s upcoming programs continue to suffer from some pretty serious delays, the service’s Virginia-class submarine contingent appears to be getting a much-needed boost in its production timeline. According to details recently released by the Pentagon’s Defense Logistics Agency, six small businesses have been tasked and contracted with expediting the production of these nuclear-powered attack submarines. Under the Maritime Acquisition Advancement Contract (MAAC), Atlantic Diving Supply, ASRC Federal, Culmen International, SupplyCore, Fairwinds Technologies, and S&K Aerospace will support the service’s procurement of Virginia submarines. The contract lists five one-year options, each valued between $1 billion and $10 billion.
“There are significantly long lead times the Navy faces … this contracting vehicle streamlines and reduces our end of the administrative lead time … it leverages innovative methods to get items into contract quickly,” said DLA Maritime Mechanicsburg Deputy Director Elizabeth Allen concerning the MAAC. Considering the ramp-up in geopolitical tensions in the Black Sea, Red Sea, and South China Sea, maintaining a superior underwater fleet should remain a priority for the US military. Designed for a broad spectrum of both littoral and open-ocean mission sets, the service’s Virginia (SSN-774) class has remained the cornerstone of the Navy for nearly one-quarter of a century.
An Overview of the Virginia-class Submarines
Derived from the Navy’s Centurion Study, the Virginia submarines were conceptualized to eventually replace the Los Angeles-class vessels. By the early 2000s, development of this new class of fast attack submarines was underway. Notably, manufacturers relied on 3D visualization technology in designing the Virginia boats for the first time. Comprised of computer-aided engineering and product lifecycle management, this innovative process proved to be effective for the service. Two manufacturers, Newport News Shipbuilding and Electric Boat (a division of General Dynamics), have been the drivers behind the Virginia-class ships’ production from the beginning as they remain the only facilities with the capacity to construct nuclear-powered submarines.
While several Virginia variants have been introduced over the years, the newest Block V series is by far the most advanced. The incorporation of the Virginia Payload Module (VPM) gives the Block V boats an edge over earlier models. According to a report in The Drive, the new VPM which will be fitted to the upcoming Block V Virginia-class ships features a “similar hull plug that stretches 84 feet that would be adapted to the seabed warfare role instead of hauling around cruise, hypersonic, and other missiles. There would have to be many other modifications, as well, especially considering that the boat will have to be able to adapt to new technologies for decades to come.” Additionally, the report notes that maneuvering thrusters and seabed landing abilities would also likely be part of the modification. With the VPM, the Block V submarines will be able to carry hypersonic missiles. With this ordnance capability, the newest Virginia iteration will truly represent a floating arsenal. Now that the class’s production timeline appears to be getting a boost, these Block V variants could be out at sea faster than expected.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: DVIDS.
