“This reclassification is a clear acknowledgment of the increased lethality VPM brings to the undersea fight,” said Vice Adm. Rob Gaucher, Director, Submarine Programs. “These VPM-equipped SSGNs will ensure the Navy continues to dominate the undersea domain for decades to come. By integrating this additional payload capacity, we will have the ability to surge strike power to assure our allies, deter aggression, outmatch any adversary, and give our Fleet commanders an incredibly versatile, hard-hitting instrument of national power.”

This decision highlights the formidable capabilities of the Navy’s newest undersea assets. Encompassing Virginia Class Blocks V and VI, these platforms will deliver with the integrated VPM—a hull modification that significantly increases length, boosts munition capacity, and provides unprecedented payload flexibility. By putting high-volume, long-range precision strike capabilities directly into the hands of the Fleet, these SSGNs will serve as a vital cornerstone for Distributed Maritime Operations and high-end warfighting. While carrying the new SSGN designation, they will remain an integral part of the storied Virginia Class program. 

"Reclassifying Virginia Payload Module-equipped submarines as SSGNs accurately reflects the extraordinary strike capacity, operational flexibility, and global reach these platforms bring to the Fleet," said the Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Daryl Caudle. "This transition comes at an important moment as USS Georgia, one of the Navy's four Ohio-class guided-missile submarines, begins the inactivation process after more than four decades of exceptional service. Georgia and her sister ships proved the enduring value of combining undersea stealth with unmatched clandestine strike capability. The next generation of Virginia-class SSGNs builds on that legacy with greater survivability, adaptability, and sustained combat power. These submarines will provide our Nation with a powerful and persistent deterrent, expand options for our combatant commanders, and ensure the Navy remains ready to fight and win whenever and wherever called upon."

The first VPM platform (SSGN 803) is estimated to deliver in FY 2029, with deliveries scheduled through FY 2038. Once operational, these highly survivable platforms will be dynamically employed across crucial global theaters—providing persistent forward presence, reinforcing robust alliance deterrence, and standing ready to project decisive combat power at a moment's notice.

"The Submarine Force is defined by our ability to operate undetected and strike without warning,” said Vice Adm. Rick Seif, Commander, Submarine Forces. “By integrating high-volume precision strike capabilities into these stealth platforms, these SSGNs serve as the ultimate enabler for Distributed Maritime Operations, giving our warfighters the overwhelming, flexible firepower required to win decisively in any theater."

Virginia Class submarines are built to dominate a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, precision strike, intelligence collection, irregular warfare, and mine warfare. Armed with state-of-the-art sensors, unmatched stealth, and advanced automation, these reclassified SSGNs will operate with impunity in contested waters, ensuring the United States Navy maintains absolute undersea supremacy.