The U.S. Navy needs more Virginia-class submarines, but U.S. shipyards cannot build enough of them. The need right now is outpacing the supply, and frankly, it isn’t even close to matching up—even as China pumps out warships.
The U.S. is facing the retirement of Los Angeles-class submarines to boot.
There are currently only two shipyards that build the Navy’s Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines—one in Groton, Connecticut, and the other in Newport News, Virginia. The shipyard in Connecticut builds only submarines, while Newport News also builds aircraft carriers and other surface ships.
These submarines are critical to U.S. national security strategy in the Indo-Pacific, where the Navy must protect shipping lanes and support freedom of navigation against China’s rapidly expanding and increasingly aggressive People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
Why Does The U.S. Need More Submarines?
First things first. Before going to Congress and asking for additional funds to build a second submarine this year, it is necessary to explain the need.
The PLAN already exceeds the U.S. Navy in overall size and is numerically the largest navy in the world, with more than 370 ships and submarines, including 140 major surface combatants. China has made significant strides in all things naval, and its rapid modernization over a short amount of time has been impressive.
Although Virginia-class submarines have been procured at a rate of two boats per year from FY 2011 through FY 2024, production has never reached that rate. Since 2022, shipyard and supplier-firm workforce and supply-chain challenges have limited production to about 1.2 boats per year, resulting in a growing backlog of boats that have been procured but not built.
The United States needs its shipbuilding industry to pick up. Naval experts have identified U.S. nuclear-powered subs as one of the key technological advantages the Navy holds over the PLAN.
Virginia-class attack submarines are still a generation ahead of Chinese subs in terms of noise-reduction technology, propulsion, weapons systems, and several other areas. China counters this technological edge with sheer numbers. Just like with aircraft, the relevant question is how many subs a Virginia-class boat would need to defeat to even out the numbers.
The Navy and the shipbuilding industry are working to improve the submarine-construction industrial base to increase the Virginia-class production rate to 2.0 boats per year by 2028, and, eventually, to 2.33 boats per year. The Navy says this rate will be needed to not only execute the two-per-year procurement rate, but also to build replacement nuclear-powered attack submarines for the three to five Virginia-class boats that are to be sold to Australia under the AUKUS treaty.
Good News Ahead?
Although the Virginia-class boats are running nearly three years behind schedule, better days might lie ahead. USNI News reported that shipbuilders General Dynamics Electric Boat and HII’s Newport News—the two submarine manufacturers—are in the process of finalizing the detailed design and construction contracts for the future Block V boats USS Baltimore (SSN-812) and USS Atlanta (SSN-813).
“As part of the Fiscal Year 2024 defense spending bill, Congress appropriated $9.4 billion for the two boats, but were short by almost $2 billion to cover the rising cost of labor and supplies,” USNI News reported.
That approval from lawmakers will “allow the Navy to cover fact-of-life cost increases on the two FY 24 boats and one FY 25 boat. They also provide funds for additional workforce development and allow us to target funding at specific productivity areas that we are working at with our customer,” General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic said in late January, USNI News reported.
The Block V Upgrades to the Virginia Class
A total of 66 fast-attack submarines of the Virginia-class have been planned, with 24 completed—of which all but one are currently in service. Ten are under construction, and four more are on order.
The final variant of the new submarines is the Block V. It is larger than the previous versions, with an increase in the boat’s length from 377 feet to 460 feet, and greater displacement, from 7,800 tons to 10,200 tons.
Because of these changes, the Block V versions are the second-largest U.S. Navy submarines produced, behind only the Ohio-class.
The added 83-foot section is to accommodate an increase in the number of missile launch tubes, from 12 to 40, which in essence could triple the capacity of short targets for each boat. This extended mid-body section—the Virginia Payload Module—can also be used to store and fire additional Tomahawk cruise missiles and other payloads, including large-diameter unmanned underwater vehicles.
American shipyards have shrunk by 30 percent since the Gulf War. The government needs to invest in these facilities to not only bring them back to their former size, but even bigger. Strengthening the supply chain, and addressing the shortage of skilled workers, are musts.
Submarines will be the biggest need in the event of war with China. And the Navy needs more of them.
About the Author:
Steve Balestrieri is a Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
