Reports indicate that the US Navy’s new Virginia-class submarines will be equipped to launch hypersonic missiles, significantly enhancing America’s deterrence capabilities.
When it comes to the US Navy’s sea-based dominance, the service’s fleet of cutting-edge submarines takes the lead. America’s silent and robust underwater force provides the United States with critical strategic capabilities, deterrence, and firepower. The Navy’s ability to project power virtually anywhere across the globe is made possible in part due to its sophisticated submarine platforms. As detailed in the Navy’s Fiscal Year 2026 shipbuilding priorities, six new battle force ships are planned. Two of these upcoming vessels are Virginia-class nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines.
As reported by the Navy, General Dynamics Electric Boat has officially received the historic contract to begin the development phase of the Virginia Block VI series. The deal, worth a staggering $18.5 billion, highlights the service’s prioritization of acquiring next-generation sea vessels.
Considering the role a naval guided missile submarine recently played in the military’s “Operation Midnight Hammer against Iran,” retaining an SSN edge over its adversaries is paramount for America’s national security.
What Are the Capabilities of the Virginia-Class Submarines?
The Navy’s Virginia-class submarines have remained a cornerstone of the service’s defensive and offensive efforts for more than two decades. Designed under the codename Centurion in the 1990s, these vessels were envisioned as next-generation SSNs capable of deterring even the most sophisticated adversaries. Notably, the Virginia ships were the first in the Navy to be built using 3D visualization technology. These vessels are notably less expensive to produce than the preceding Seawolf class, a huge plus for the service since budgetary constraints remain an underlying issue.
So far, 21 Virginia-class submarines have been commissioned by the Navy. The first boats in the Virginia-class to enter service were the Virginia (SSN 774) and Texas (SSN 775). The next submarines to be constructed by Electric Boat are planned to be USS Potomac (SSN-814) and USS Norfolk (SSN-815), representing the beginning of the Block VI series.
Currently, the Block V iteration stands as the newest and most capable version of the Virginia-class enterprise. These sophisticated vessels feature the Virginia Payload Module (VPM) and are designed to interact with the seafloor, storing more weapons than earlier variants. As detailed by The War Zone, 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.”
While the planned specs and capabilities for the future Block VI Virginia submarines remain classified, the new iteration will reportedly be configured to support the Conventional Prompt Strike program, which includes hypersonic missiles.
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 bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, The Jerusalem Post, and The Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
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