US Navy Reclassifies 19 Virginia-Class Submarines as SSGNs

The United States Navy is reclassifying 19 planned Virginia-class submarines from fast-attack submarines to guided missile submarines (SSGNs). This redesignation applies to Block V and Block VI variants scheduled for delivery through 2038, starting with the USS Arizona (SSGN 803) in fiscal year 2029. The shift reflects the integration of the Virginia Payload Module (VPM), a 70-foot hull extension that increases vertical-launch missile capacity from 12 to 40 Tomahawk cruise missiles and supports hypersonic missiles and unmanned underwater vehicles.

Navy leadership states the move ensures a persistent deterrent and aligns with the inactivation of the Ohio-class SSGNs, such as the USS Georgia, to maintain clandestine strike capabilities. To support the build, the Navy issued a $42.1 billion award to General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding for the construction of nine Block VI submarines.

Vice Admiral Rob Gaucher described the change as an acknowledgment of the increased lethality the VPM brings to undersea warfare. Admiral Daryl Caudle stated the reclassification reflects the extraordinary strike capacity and global reach of these platforms, while Vice Admiral Rick Seif identified the SSGNs as the ultimate enabler for Distributed Maritime Operations.