Virginia-class

The United States Navy’s front-line nuclear fast-attack submarine, in serial production since 2004, combining advanced quieting, a growing Tomahawk land-attack punch, and a lock-out chamber for special forces — the boat that will underpin Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine force under AUKUS.

Overview

The Virginia class (SSN-774) is the United States Navy’s premier nuclear-powered attack submarine, designed for multi-mission dominance across open-ocean and littoral environments. Built by a teaming arrangement between General Dynamics Electric Boat and HII Newport News, each boat integrates long-endurance ASW, anti-surface warfare, land-attack, intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance, and special-operations support. Approximately 24 hulls have been commissioned, and serial production continues through Block V and beyond. The class is equally the cornerstone of the AUKUS Pillar I agreement, under which Australia will acquire its first nuclear-powered submarines from the early 2030s.

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