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4 clusters · 9 sources · 25 days · First seen · Last updated

US Navy submarine missile capability expansion

Overview

In early August 2026, the U.S. Navy announced the Naval Modular Missile (NMM) program, a family of modular surface-to-air interceptors for Virginia-class attack submarines equipped with the Virginia Payload Module. The submarine-launched variant (ER-S) allows a single tube to fire up to seven missiles, providing undersea platforms with direct anti-air and ballistic-missile-defense capabilities. The Navy plans to use an adapted RIM-174 Standard ERAM missile for the ER-S, which features a 240 km range and a 34 km ceiling. FY 2027 funding of approximately $311 million aims to support the production of 1,000 interceptors annually within five years.

Concurrent with these developments, the Navy is undergoing a significant transition in undersea warfare capabilities. This includes the decommissioning of older vessels, such as the Los Angeles-class USS San Juan after 38 years of service, and the redesignation of 19 Virginia-class boats as guided-missile submarines (SSGNs). These boats will be fitted with a 25-meter payload module, adding 28 missile launch tubes to their existing 12, allowing for the deployment of up to 40 Tomahawk cruise missiles and future hypersonic weapons.

This modernization effort is intended to support the planned retirement of the Ohio-class SSGNs by the end of the decade. However, the Submarine Industrial Base Council noted that retiring the Ohio-class fleet could temporarily reduce the Navy's undersea strike capability by as much as 60%. As part of ongoing fleet maintenance, the USS North Carolina recently completed its dry dock phase, and the USS John Warner, the first Block III Virginia-class submarine to undergo drydocking at a public shipyard, completed its hot operations test program ahead of schedule. The first upgraded Virginia-class submarines are expected to enter service by 2029.

Entities

Standard Missile family · Virginia‑class submarine program · U.S. Navy · Norfolk Naval Shipyard · United States Navy

Timeline

  1. 3 days ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    U.S. Navy Virginia-class submarines complete key maintenance milestones

    Two U.S. Navy Virginia-class submarines, the USS North Carolina and USS John Warner, have completed major maintenance and testing milestones to prepare for their return to operational service.

  2. 19 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 3 sources
    US Navy modernizes submarine fleet amid decommissioning of aging vessels

    The US Navy is decommissioning the USS San Juan and launching a modernization plan to equip 19 Virginia-class submarines with advanced missile capabilities to bolster Indo-Pacific security.

  3. 25 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources
    U.S. Navy Highlights Virginia-Class Submarine Return and Missile Redesignation

    USS Virginia returned from a six‑month European deployment, and the U.S. Navy reclassified 19 Virginia‑class subs with payload modules as guided‑missile submarines, boosting strike capacity to 40 Tomahawks.

  4. 27 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 3 sources
    US Navy moves ahead with submarine‑launched anti‑air missile program

    The US Navy’s Naval Modular Missile program will replace the Standard Missile family with modular variants, including a submarine‑launched anti‑air missile for Virginia‑class subs, funded at $311 M for 1,000 yr

Sources

bairdmaritime.com · edrotacultural.com.br · epochtimes.com · executivegov.com · finance.technews.tw · infodefensa.com · interestingengineering.com · matzav.com · seapowermagazine.org

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history