Key Points and Summary – The Navy is linking Pearl Harbor history to today’s undersea fight by naming a new Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Utah (SSN-801), honoring the battleship lost on December 7, 1941.
-Built to replace aging Los Angeles-class boats, Virginia-class subs combine nuclear endurance, quieting, modern sonar, and Tomahawk strike options, with an open-architecture design that can be upgraded over time.
Los Angeles-Class Submarine. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
-Utah, the last Block IV boat, will complete sea trials before joining deployments for sub-hunting, intelligence collection, special operations support, and sea-lane defense—carrying a state’s name and a crew’s sacrifice into the next era, with global patrols wherever commanders most need it.
USS Utah Can Be Summed Up in 1 Phrase: A Pearl Harbor Name, a Virginia-Class Mission
The United States just commemorated the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack that happened on December 7, 1941. The US Navy is now honoring the memory of one vessel that went down during the surprise raid that sank the USS Utah battleship. A member of the Florida-class of dreadnoughts, the Utah BB-31, would have been a critical asset in sea combat had it survived the sneak attack by the Japanese.
Now, to remember the ship and the crew that did not make it home to loved ones, the Navy has named one of its new submarines the USS Utah. The fast-attack boat was christened in October and designated SSN-801. That 801 area code covers Salt Lake City and the northern portion of the state, further cementing people’s ties to the USS Utah.
US Navy Virginia-class Submarine Under Construction.
US Navy Virginia-class Submarine Under Construction.
The Virginia-class attack submarine Pre-Commissioning Unit Mississippi (SSN 782) conducts alpha trials in the Atlantic Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of General Dynamics Electric Boat)
More About Virginia-Class Submarines
The Utah is a Virginia-class submarine that costs about $3.5 billion and is cheaper than the Seawolf-class submarines, and it is built to replace the Los Angeles-class submarines. Virginia-class boats are nuclear-powered with a large number of Tomahawk cruise missiles. These are a presidential asset that the commander-in-chief can order to fire their missiles anytime, anywhere, without risking American boots on the ground.
Chock Full of Tomahawk Cruise Missiles
Virginia-class boats run silent and run deep, with improved sonar and an open systems architecture that easily allows upgrades to replace old hardware and software. The Utah is the last of the Block IV Virginia-class, but the Block V submarines have the Virginia Payload Module (VPM). The VPM has four large-diameter tubes, each holding seven Tomahawk missiles.
The Utah Has a Big Job Ahead
The USS Utah will be busy hunting and killing enemy submarines and shipping. It can also collect intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data and lay mines.
Virginia-class Block V boats are 461 feet long with the VPM and displace an extra 10,200 tons with the new length. The submerged top speed is over 25 knots.
(May 21, 2003) — This conceptual drawing shows the new Virginia-class attack submarine now under construction at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Conn., and Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va. The first ship of this class, USS Virginia (SSN 774) is scheduled to be delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2004. U.S. D.O.D. graphic by Ron Stern. (RELEASED)
(FY98–08) – SSNs 774 – 783. Block III (FY09–13) – SSNs 784 – 791. Increase in platform capability. Design for Affordability (2 VA per year) Block I & II Bow Design. 12 VLS Tubes. Block III and later 2 VIRGINIA Payload Tubes. 10 Ships Delivered. 8 Ships – 2 Delivered, 6 Under Construction. Block IV (FY14–18) – SSNs 792 – 801. Block V (FY19–23) – SSNs 802 – and later. RTOC enables increased Ao per hull. VPM (beginning with 19-2 ship) and AS increase undersea influence effects. 10 Ships – 5 Under Construction, 5 Under Contract. In Design Phase, FY19 Construction Start. 16.
“Nuclear-powered attack submarines are valued for their speed, endurance, and payload flexibility, attributes the Navy says are crucial for protecting sea lanes, supporting carrier operations, and projecting power ashore,” according to InterestingEngineering.com.
The Payload Can Include Navy SEALs Too
There is an advanced delivery system for US Navy SEALs who can be launched for reconnaissance patrols, rescuing hostages, preparing landing zones for attack by Marines, and blowing up enemy ships at a harbor.
Construction on the Utah began in 2021, after the name was chosen 6 years earlier. There are 130 officers and enlisted sailors on board. The Utah name hadn’t been used since the attack on Pearl Harbor, and residents are excited about the new submarine.
I lived in New Mexico when the USS New Mexico, a Virginia-class boat that was the sixth of its class, was christened. I participated in some of the festivities to honor New Mexico while working for the Mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The new submarine had many supporters, and they were happy to travel to the East Coast for its launch.
The People of Utah Are Proud
People in Utah likely feel the same way as they honor the new submarine. This gives residents much pride that their home state is taking the reins of such a critical mission.
The USS Utah will now undergo sea trials, additional testing, and evaluation before reporting for active duty at a time when the geopolitical threat environment is worse than ever. It could find itself patrolling close to the United States in the Caribbean, protecting carrier strike groups in Europe, or sneaking around East Asia to keep tabs on the Chinese.
Residents and Veterans Sound Off About the Utah
Tim Martin, a veteran from Utah who served on submarines during his time in the Navy, told the local news media that he was proud of the new vessel.
“To have these young men go in harm’s way to maintain the safety and security that we enjoy so much in America is just an amazing thing, and for us to be part of that, to be able to say to them, thank you,” Martin said to the local Fox affiliate in Salt Lake City.
“To have a ship that was named after Utah, and the men that served on that and those that died in battle, the kids nowadays, I don’t think really understand the dedication,” Martin added.
One current Utah sailor was interested in how submarine names make such a difference to people living in the states they are named for.
“The way that we name submarines, that’s a very, very cool link that we have to kind of historical ties that we get. It’s awesome to carry the name of a boat that weighs all those who were sacrificed in the past,” said crew member Adrian Schalk.
Utah naval veteran Ray Gibbons said, “Don’t forget the original, and the lives that were lost there. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be getting the new one.”
The People of Utah Have a New Found Appreciation for Undersea Warfare
The new submarine will carry the flag high for the United States and make Utah residents happy. The Virginia-class will play a significant role in the future defense of the country, and the people of Utah will realize that undersea warfare is one of the most essential jobs in the US Navy. The sailors who died on the original battleship Utah would be happy that the torch has been passed.
About the Author: Brent M. Eastwood
Author of now over 3,000 articles on defense issues, 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 US 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 US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
