Submarines of the United States Navy are built in classes, using
a single design for a number of boats. Minor variations occur as
improvements are incorporated into the design, so later boats of a
class may be more capable than earlier. Also, boats are modified,
sometimes extensively, while in service, creating departures from
the class standard. However, in general, all boats of a class are
noticeably similar.
The Virginia class (or SSN-774 class) of attack submarines are
U.S. subs designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral
missions. They were designed as a less expensive alternative to the
Cold War era designed Seawolf-class attack submarines, and they are
slated to replace the aging Los Angeles class subs, seventeen of
which (from a total of 62) have already been decommissioned
The Virginias incorporate several innovations. Instead of
periscopes, the subs have a pair of extendable "photonics masts"
outside the pressure hull. Each contains several high-resolution
cameras with light-intensification and infrared sensors, an
infrared laser rangefinder, and an integrated Electronic Support
Measures (ESM) array. Signals from the masts' sensors are
transmitted through fiber optic data lines through signal
processors to the control center. The subs also make use of
pump-jet propulsors for quieter operations
The Virginias were intended, in part, as a cheaper ($1.8 vs $2
billion) alternative to the Seawolf class, whose production run was
stopped after just three boats. To reduce costs, the Virginia-class
uses many "commercial-off-the-shelf" (or COTS) components,
especially in their computers and data networks. In practice they
actually cost about $2.3 billion (in fiscal year 2005 dollars)
each, due in part to the lack of an economy of scale.
In hearings before both House of Representatives and Senate
committees, the Congressional Research Service and expert witnesses
testified that the current procurement plans of the Virginia
class—one per year at present, accelerating to two per year
beginning in 2012—resulted in high unit costs and (according
to some of the witnesses and some of the committee chairmen) an
insufficient number of attack submarines. In a March 10, 2005
statement to the House Armed Services Committee, Ronald O'Rourke of
the CRS testified that, assuming the production rate remains as
planned, "production economies of scale for submarines would
continue to remain limited or poor."
The Virginia-class is built through an industrial arrangement
designed to keep both GD Electric Boat and Northrop Grumman Newport
News (the only two U.S. shipyards capable of building
nuclear-powered vessels) in the submarine-building business. Under
the present arrangement, the Newport News facility builds the
stern, habitability & machinery spaces, torpedo room, sail and
bow, while Electric Boat builds the engine room and control room.
The facilities alternate work on the reactor plant as well as the
final assembly, test, outfit and delivery.
O’Rourke wrote in 2004 that, "Compared to a one-yard
strategy, approaches involving two yards may be more expensive but
offer potential offsetting benefits." Among the claims of
"offsetting benefits" that O'Rourke attributes to supporters of a
two-facility construction arrangement is that it "would permit the
United States to continue building submarines at one yard even if
the other yard is rendered incapable of building submarines
permanently or for a sustained period of time by a catastrophic
event of some kind", including an enemy attack.
In order to get the submarine's price down to $2 billion per
submarine in FY-05 dollars, the Navy instituted a cost-reduction
program to shave off approximately $400 million in costs off each
submarine's price tag. The project was dubbed "2 for 4 in 12,"
referring to the Navy's desire to buy two boats for $4 billion in
FY-12. Under pressure from Congress, the Navy opted to start buying
two boats a year earlier, in FY-11, meaning that officials would
not be able to get the $2 billion price tag before the service
started buying two subs per year. However, program manager Dave
Johnson said at a conference on March 19, 2008, that the program
was only $30 million away from achieving the $2 billion price goal,
and would reach that target on schedule.
In December 2008, the US Navy signed a $14 billion contract with
General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman, to supply eight submarines.
The contractors will deliver one submarine in each of fiscal 2009
and 2010, and two submarines on each of fiscal 2011, 2012 and 2013.
This contract will bring the Navy's Virginia-class fleet to 18
submarines.
On 21 June 2008, the Navy christened the New Hampshire
(SSN-778), the first of the Block II submarine. This boat was
delivered eight months ahead of schedule and $54 million
underbudget. The Block II boats are built in four sections,
compared to the ten sections of the Block I boats. This enables a
cost saving of about $300 million per boat, reducing the overall
cost to $2 billion per boat and the construction of two new boats
per year. Beginning in 2010, new submarines of this class will
include a software system that can monitor and reduce their
electromagnetic signatures when needed.
General characteristics
Class and type: Attack submarine
Displacement: 7,900 tonnes (7,800 long tons)
Length: 377 feet (115 m)
Beam: 34 feet (10 m)
Propulsion: S9G reactor
Speed: >25 knots (46 km/h)
Range: unlimited except by food supplies
Test depth: > 800 ft (244 m)
Complement: 134
Armament: 12xVLS (BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile) & 4x533mm
torpedo tubes (Mk-48 torpedo)
Notes: Ships in class include: Virginia, Texas, Hawaii, North
Carolina, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Missouri, California,
Mississippi, Minnesota, North Dakota