Article Summary: The U.S. Navy’s aging fleet of Ohio-class SSGN guided missile submarines is nearing obsolescence, threatening a critical loss in firepower. To counteract this, the Navy is rapidly building Block V Virginia-class submarines featuring the new Virginia Payload Module (VPM), significantly increasing missile capacity from 12 to 40 Tomahawks per sub.
-With ten of these advanced submarines, commanders could launch up to 400 missiles simultaneously, delivering a powerful strategic advantage in conflicts against major adversaries.
-Enhanced Tomahawk capabilities, including hitting moving targets, further strengthen U.S. deterrence, providing mass strike capability from stealthy undersea platforms crucial for future warfare scenarios.
The Virginia-Class Submarine Is Armed and Ready with Missiles
The United States Navy is fast-tracking a massive firepower upgrade for its undersea attack capability. The move is a key measure to compensate for the anticipated retirement of its large and heavily armed SSGN guided missile submarines.
According to Navy developers, the answer to this expected loss of firepower is the addition of the Virginia Payload Module for Block V Virginia-class attack submarines.
SSGN Guided Missile Submarines
The US Navy operates four Ohio-class submarines, each designed to carry up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles. They are 1980s-era boats that carry large amounts of conventional undersea attack firepower. These submarines have been used with impressive tactical effect in several key conflicts, such as the Persian Gulf War and the 2011 conflict in Libya.
However, after 40 years of service, these SSGN submarines and many of the nuclear-armed Ohio-class SSBN ballistic missile submarines are nearing obsolescence.
All four SSGN submarines—the USS Florida, USS Georgia, USS Ohio, and USS Michigan—have been in service for at least four decades. While they have been upgraded and modernized to extend service life, they are fast-reaching obsolescence and will need to retire fully. This retirement of the SSGNs, slated for 2028, removes a massive amount of conventional firepower for the Navy.
Block V Virginia-Class Firepower
To offset the expected firepower deficit generated by the retirement of the US Navy SSGNs, the Navy has for many years been engineering Block V Virginia-class attack submarines, boats specifically built to accommodate a significant increase in firepower. Block I through IV Virginia-class submarines, which have been under construction for many years, are armed with the ability to fire 12 Tomahawk missiles from missile tubes.
Block V Virginia-class submarines, however, are engineered with an additional 80-foot section designed to add as many as 28 more Tomahawks to the boats. With Virginia Payload Modules, Block V Virginia-class boats increase Tomahawk carrying capacity from 12 to 40 missiles per boat.
The US Navy has acquired 10 Block V Virginia-class submarines between 2019 and 2023, several of which are already under construction. The tactical and strategic advantage associated with additional Tomahawks is highly significant concerning the deterrence equation and possible readiness for great power warfare. There are several key reasons for this, one simply being an ability to place “mass” fires on target. While future warfare is expected to incorporate advanced AI, long-range precision sensors and weapons, and fast-moving multi-domain combat, there would likely still be a need for massive fires in a great power conflict.
This is particularly true in the case of the Tomahawk missile, as they are often the first used in any major military engagement. Capable of traveling as far as 900 miles at 550 mph, Tomahawks can exact massive destruction upon targets from undersea locations from safer distances.
In terms of pure contingencies or the realm of theory, Tomahawk missiles would likely be needed to reach mainland China, the South China Sea, and other areas of the Pacific simultaneously. Future great power warfare will likely require range, precision, and “mass,” something a large salvo of Tomahawks would be positioned to accomplish.
400 Tomahawks
Looking at a simple mathematical equation, ten Block V Virginia Payload Module boats with 40 Tomahawks each could give commanders the ability to fire as many as 400 Tomahawk missiles. This capacity means several hundred could be fired at one time, should that be necessary in a large-scale engagement.
The ability to mass fire Tomahawks is particularly relevant in light of the extensive upgrades the missile has received in recent years. Block IV Tomahawks travel with a two-way data link and can loiter and change targets in flight if needed.
Advanced Tomahawks can also, therefore, perform certain levels of drone-like ISR or target acquisition functions as well.
U.S. Navy Sailors stationed aboard the Virginia Class New Attack Submarine Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) TEXAS (SSN 775) stands topside as the boat gets underway from Naval Station Norfolk, Va., Aug. 22, 2006. TEXAS is the second Virginia Class submarine built and the first major U.S. Navy combatant vessel class designed with the post-Cold War security environment in mind. TEXAS will be commissioned Sept 9, 2006 in Galveston, Texas. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Kelvin Edwards) (Released)
Some of the most current Tomahawks, such as the US Navy’s Tactical Tomahawks, are upgraded with radio-throughput technology sufficient to enable the weapons to attack “moving” targets. The ability to reach moving targets is significant, as Tomahawks have historically been used to hit fixed infrastructure such as command and control facilities, weapons depots, or force locations. Tactical Maritime Tomahawks, however, can adjust in flight to hit moving targets such as land convoys or ships at sea.
Therefore, the ability to bring mass precision fires at long ranges against moving targets introduces a significant tactical advantage for undersea forces, mainly because they are harder to detect than surface ships.
U.S. Navy Virginia-class Submarine.
About the Author: Kris Osborn
Kris Osborn is the Military Technology Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
