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Key Points: The U.S. Navy’s Block IV Virginia-class submarines, including the recently launched Massachusetts (SSN 798), are replacing the Los Angeles-class attack submarines with advanced capabilities.

-Designed for versatility, these submarines excel in stealth, speed, and lethality, capable of conducting intelligence missions, deploying Navy SEALs, and launching Tomahawk cruise missiles.

-With an extended lifecycle and lower maintenance requirements, the Block IV class optimizes undersea warfare while providing cost-effective enhancements.

-As tensions rise in the Indo-Pacific, these submarines play a crucial role in U.S. maritime strategy, prompting debates over balancing investments in aircraft carriers and submarines for future naval dominance.

Virginia-Class Block IV Submarines: The Navy’s New Underwater Powerhouse

This year, the U.S. Navy launched its seventh Block IV Virginia-class fast attack submarine, the Massachusetts (SSN 798) with another of these subs also launched in August. The Block IV Virginia-class boats are replacing the aging Los Angeles-class attack submarines. There will be ten submarines in this class.

What makes these submarines unique, and what some call the best subs on earth? 

Virginia-Class Block IV: Versatile Sub Makes the Navy’s Job Easier

The Block IV Virginia-class is a more survivable and lethal boat. They are strong performers in subsea operations. Block IVs can sneak in Blue Water and Green Water locations and use their cruise missiles for land devastation or infiltrate a team of U.S. Navy SEALs to shore.

The Block IVs are designed to better eliminate enemy shipping, conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, and take out adversarial submarines.

The Virginia Block IVs have excellent speed, maneuverability, and silence. They are upgraded at a reasonable cost (half the price of a Seawolf-class) with proven design changes to increase the submarine’s lifecycle.

They are designed to stay out to sea and avoid lengthy maintenance periods.

Watch Out for SEALs Inserted By the Block IV

The first Block IV, the Vermont, was commissioned in April 2020. So, the configuration is relatively new. Block IVs specialize in SEAL delivery missions. The torpedo room is reconfigurable to allow a significant number of naval special operators to serve a long deployment and then head to shore to unleash their deadly brand of warfare. Divers have a large lockout truck as well.

Virginia-class boats have two photonics masts with infrared digital cameras to give commanders better situational awareness.

US Navy Virginia-class Submarine Under Construction.

Surprising Speed for Such a Big Boat

The Virginia-class has one reactor and one shaft. They can achieve a speed of 25 knots. The length is 461 feet with the Virginia Payload Module with four additional large diameter payload tubes in the middle of the boat. The Virginia Payload Module enables the class to carry seven Tomahawk cruise missiles in each tube.

The Virginia class also comes armed with Mk 48 ADCAP torpedoes using four torpedo tubes.

The boats displace around 10,200 tons with the Virginia Payload Module. There is a crew of 132 – 15 officers and 117 enlisted personnel.

What Is Next for U.S. Maritime Strategy?

Undersea warfare will be a huge component of U.S. battle plans in the Indo-Pacific. For the first time in decades, a Navy Carrier Strike Group is not currently deployed to East Asia. That means it depends much on the Block IVs to pick up the slack. They are now running stealthily around the globe ready to fire cruise missiles or insert SEAL teams.

Some analysts are even calling for a freeze on new aircraft carrier construction after the Gerald R. Ford supercarrier and re-allocating that savings to build more Block IV and Block V submarines and additional Columbia-class boomers.

Virginia-Class

Image of Block III US Navy Virginia-class Submarine.

I don’t agree that aircraft carriers are obsolete, but they are compelling arguments, especially when the United States is dealing with current conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. China could make a move toward Taiwan at any moment and not having a carrier strike group in East Asia places too much pressure on the U.S. submarine fleet.

This means the future inhabitant of the White House, the Department of Defense, and Congressional lawmakers must make a maritime strategy decision. Can the United States continue to purchase and maintain both its carriers and submarines?

I think the Navy must walk and chew gum simultaneously – keep building submarines like the Block IV and purchase at least one more supercarrier of the Ford class. It will take leadership from Washington, DC and the steady investment into American shipyards to make this happen. That means the need for the biggest naval build-out since the Reagan administration.

Meanwhile, China will be watching how transformational naval acquisition strategy will be or whether the United States struggles with new submarine and carrier purchases.

Image of Virginia-Class Submarine. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Image of Virginia-Class Submarine. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.