U.S. Navy officially confirmed it plans to build new nuclear submarine designed for conducting covert operations, espionage and sabotage on seabed. This unique submarine will be created based on Virginia Block V class nuclear submarine.
Specifically in Block V variant, Virginia-class submarines will receive extended hull with modular 25-meter Virginia Payload Module (VPM) section with 4 revolver launchers of 6 cells each (28 cells total), where Tomahawk cruise missiles or other missile types can be placed. The War Zone publication writes about this.
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Thus thanks to VPM, Virginia Block V submarines will receive increased arsenal from base 12 cells to 40 cells for Tomahawk and other missiles. Thanks to which Virginia Block V will be transferred from SSN class of nuclear multirole submarines to SSGN class of nuclear cruise missile carrier submarines.
However, future spy submarine instead of VPM with additional 28 missiles will receive unique module for performing special seabed tasks.
Thanks to this module, submarine will receive broad capabilities for intelligence missions on seabed, such as connecting to and cutting fiber-optic cables, destroying pipelines, raising and researching objects on seabed, and multitude of other tasks.
Entire set of capabilities and onboard equipment will evidently not be announced, so one can only assume which specifically missions future submarine will be able to perform.
Judging from available information, it will have onboard command center and cargo compartment that can be changed according to mission needs. Also expected is spy submarine will receive capability to employ various underwater drones for seabed research and performing tasks at great depth.
Currently not announced is what specifically new submarine will be called and expected construction timelines. However, known is this submarine will be one of 11 already ordered Virginia Block V class submarines (12 total ordered, but first will be without additional module).
In U.S. service, spy Virginia will initially supplement and then replace USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23), currently actively used for conducting covert operations and intelligence. USS Jimmy Carter was commissioned in 2005. Meaning it is already 21 years old, and at moment of spy Virginia commissioning, it will likely be over 30 years.
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