- The Navy has moved to reclassify 19 planned submarines under a new designation
- The change separates VPM-equipped platforms from traditional fast attack submarines
- Vice Adm. Rob Gaucher will keynote the 2026 Navy Summit on Aug. 27
The Department of the Navy has announced its decision to reclassify 19 planned Virginia-class submarines equipped with the Virginia Payload Module, or VPM, as guided missile submarines, or SSGNs, distinguishing the platforms from traditional Virginia-class fast attack submarines, or SSNs.
As the Navy advances undersea warfighting capabilities and next-generation submarine programs, Vice Adm. Robert Gaucher, director of submarine programs at the Navy, will deliver a keynote address at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Navy Summit on Aug. 27. Government and industry leaders will discuss artificial intelligence, digital engineering, shipbuilding, unmanned systems and other priorities shaping the future maritime force. Register now to join the conversation.
The Navy said Monday the reclassification applies to Virginia-class Blocks V and VI submarines equipped with the VPM hull modification.
What Is the Goal of the Hull Modification?
The Virginia Payload Module is a hull modification that lengthens the submarine and expands its munitions capacity and payload flexibility. The Navy said the added capacity is intended to place high-volume, long-range precision strike capability directly into the hands of fleet commanders, positioning the modified platforms as a central component of Distributed Maritime Operations and high-end warfighting.
When Will the New SSGNs Enter Service?
The first VPM-equipped platform, SSGN 803, is projected for delivery in fiscal year 2029, with additional deliveries continuing through fiscal year 2038. The Navy said that once operational, the submarines will be deployed across multiple global theaters to maintain forward presence, reinforce deterrence commitments with allies and provide on-demand strike capability.
What Did Navy Officials Say About the Reclassification?
Vice Adm. Robert Gaucher, director of submarine programs, said the reclassification reflects the added lethality the Virginia Payload Module brings to undersea operations and will help the Navy sustain its advantage in the undersea domain in the years ahead.
“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,” Gaucher said.
Adm. Daryl Caudle, chief of naval operations, said the new designation reflects the strike capacity, operational flexibility and global reach the platforms bring to the fleet, and noted that the transition coincides with the inactivation of USS Georgia, one of the Navy’s four Ohio-class guided-missile submarines, after more than four decades of 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,” Caudle said.
Vice Adm. Rick Seif, commander of submarine forces, said the Submarine Force’s advantage rests on its ability to operate undetected and strike without warning, and that integrating high-volume precision strike capability into stealth platforms extends that advantage.
“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,” Seif said.
What Are Virginia-Class Submarines?
Virginia-class submarines are designed to conduct a range of littoral and open-ocean missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence collection, precision strike, irregular warfare and mine warfare. The platforms carry sensors, stealth features and automation systems intended to support operations in contested waters.
