Virginia-class SSN

The Virginia class is the US Navy's current SSN standard, built by GD Electric Boat (Groton, CT) and HII Newport News (VA). Length 115 m, displacement 7,800 tons (Block IV), single S9G nuclear reactor with natural-circulation cooling (no pumps in normal operation = silence), AC permanent-magnet propulsion. Speed >25 knots, theoretical depth >240 m (classified). Armament: 12 vertical launch tubes for Tomahawk Block V and (from Block V) 28 additional Tomahawk cells in a Virginia Payload Module (VPM, a 25 m cylinder amidships). Four 533 mm tubes for Mark 48 ADCAP torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine Sub-Harpoon, or UUVs.