The undersea is mainly maintained by these United States Navy attack submarines or SSNs. They were designed to be able and essentially find and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships, land-based power through Tomahawk cruise missiles and SOF, and execute ISR with Minutemen and other special operations. They perform battle group operations and mine warfare.
These are the Los Angeles-class (SSN 688), and they form the backbone of the U.S. submarine force. About forty remain in commission, with a dozen Vertical Launch System tubes for Tomahawk cruise missiles in thirty of them. As the first class of submarines commissioned, it became the workhorse of the fleet and was always reliable and versatile for many missions.
Fewer in number, the class of Seawolf submarines is a generation in advance in terms of capabilities. The USS Seawolf and the ships that followed in her class, launched in 1997, are exceedingly quiet, high-speed, and powerfully equipped. Among the class is the USS Jimmy Carter, having a 100-foot hull called the Multi-Mission Platform, with an extension for additional payloads and advanced technology to host critical assets involved in classified research and development and enhanced warfighting.
The other distinguishing role of the USS Jimmy Carter is in sea-bed warfare. The submarine carries some of the latest technology that allows targeting undersea infrastructures, like cables and resource systems. Its missions are usually classified, but its design and modifications made it quite invaluable for U.S. naval intelligence and special operations.
The Virginia-class submarines are the most up-to-date attack submarines in the U.S. Navy. With twenty-one Virginias already commissioned to date, they will eventually replace the aging Los Angeles-class submarines. Virginia class, on the other hand, bears several innovative additions that significantly expand its warfighting capability, especially in littoral operations. Among these key enhancements are the reconfigurable torpedo room to man a large number of Special Operation Forces Personnel, with their equipment, for long periods of deployment. It also has a large lockout trunk for the divers.
Probably the most forward development in the Virginia class is that of removing the traditional periscopes, which have been replaced with photonics masts hosting visible and infrared digital cameras atop telescoping arms. These have allowed for a significantly more slowly ‘spaced’ control room layout, which ensures the commanding officer can now enjoy significantly improved situational awareness.
The U.S. Navy is already looking ahead with plans for SSN(X)—its new class of attack submarines that will build upon the advancements of the Virginia class. Block VI Virginia-class ships will serve as a bridge to that SSN(X) effort, bringing in advances in areas of stealth, sonar performance, and seabed warfare capabilities.
According to Vice Adm. Daryl Caudle, speed, payload, and the ability to remain unseen were the things that will define the SSN(X). He added that the new submarines would have to continue being clandestine despite the advancements in detection technologies by peer competitors. Discussions could reach up to using a hull design like those of the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines for the SSN(X), which reflects more speed and stealth capabilities.
The evolution of U.S. attack submarines from Los Angeles class through Virginia class, and soon SSN(X), has been a history lesson for the simple fact that undersea superiority is something the Navy will do almost everything to guarantee. Each class represented dramatic improvements in technology and capability, which secured the United States a place at the leading edge in undersea warfare. These submarines will be a key part of ensuring that they stay at that leading edge as the Navy continues to innovate for national security to project power around the world.