US Navy Reclassifies Nineteen Submarines as Missile Boats

US Navy reclassifies nineteen submarines as missile boats

The United States Navy is reclassifying 19 planned Virginia-class submarines fitted with the Virginia Payload Module as guided missile submarines, changing their designation from SSN to SSGN, the service stated. The change covers Blocks V and VI of the class. It is a designation change rather than a modification, and the boats remain part of the Virginia programme, but it formally separates them from the attack submarines that share the name. Th…

US reclassifies Virginia class subs | The Australian Naval Institute

On August 3, 2026, the Department of the Navy announced a decisive step to sharpen its competitive edge, reclassifying nineteen planned Virginia Class submarines equipped with the Virginia Payload Module (VPM) as guided missile submarines (SSGN). The US Navy press release said: This pivotal shift clearly differentiates these advanced platforms from traditional Virginia Class fast […]