US Navy modernizes submarine fleet amid decommissioning of aging vessels

The US Navy is undergoing a significant transition in its undersea warfare capabilities through the decommissioning of older vessels and the modernization of its current fleet. The Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine USS San Juan was decommissioned at Naval Base Kitsap, Washington, following 38 years of service. Its nuclear reactor will be transported to a waste disposal site in eastern Washington.

To bolster military presence in the Indo-Pacific, the Navy has announced a modernization plan to convert 19 Virginia-class submarines into guided-missile platforms. These vessels will be fitted with a 25-meter payload module, adding 28 missile launch tubes to their existing 12. This upgrade will allow for the deployment of Tomahawk cruise missiles and hypersonic weapons.

This transition occurs as the Navy retires its four Ohio-class guided-missile submarines, such as the USS Georgia. The Submarine Industrial Base Council noted that the retirement of the Ohio-class fleet could temporarily reduce the Navy's undersea strike capability by as much as 60%. The first upgraded Virginia-class submarines are expected to enter service by 2029.