USS Potomac (SSN-814)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Potomac.

USS Potomac (SSN-814)

The lead boat of the Virginia class, USS Virginia (SSN-774)
History
United States
Name	Potomac
Namesake	Potomac River
Ordered	TBD
Commissioned	2034–2035 (estimated)
Identification	Pennant number: SSN-814
General characteristics
Class & type	Virginia-class submarine
Displacement	10,200  tons
Length	460 ft (140 m)
Beam	34 ft (10.4 m)
Draft	32 ft (9.8 m)
Propulsion	S9G reactor auxiliary diesel engine
Speed	25 knots (46 km/h)
Endurance	can remain submerged for more than 3 months
Test depth	greater than 800 ft (244 m)
Complement	15 officers 120 enlisted crew
Armament	40 VLS tubes four 21 inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes for Mk-48 torpedoes or BGM-109 Tomahawk

USS Potomac (SSN-814) will be a nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarine of the United States Navy, the first Block VI attack submarine and 41st overall of her class.

Construction

The submarine would be the seventh U.S. Navy vessel named for the Potomac River, an important river to Washington DC and the Chesapeake Bay. ^[1]

Uniquely, Potomac was not ordered prior to her naming due to a dispute between the Navy and builder Huntington Ingalls Industries over the potential cost. ^[2]

She will be sponsored by Lisa Collis, the wife of US Senator Mark Warner. ^[3] The FY2026 budget allocated an additional US$1.8 billion, on top of the $4.56 billion from 2023 & 2024, for the construction of Potomac and her sister submarines, USS Norfolk (SSN-815) and USS Brooklyn (SSN-816). ^{[4] [5]} Potomac is estimated to completed and enter service by 2034–2035. ^[6]

Design

Like their Block V predecessors, Block VI submarines will incorporate previously introduced modifications to the base design, including the Virginia Payload Module (VPM). The VPM inserts a segment into the middle of the boat's hull behind the conning tower, which adds four Multiple All-up-round Canisters (MAC) with each MAC containing seven vertical launch tubes. Each tube is loaded with a Tomahawk strike missile giving the VPM a total of 28 missiles. Combined with the 12 missiles loaded in the two "six-shooter" Virginia Payload Tubes (VPT) on the bow (each VPT has six missiles), first incorporated into Block III boats, ^[7] this increases her armament to a total of 40 missiles. ^{[8] [9] [10]}

Construction

1. "SECNAV Del Toro Names Future Virginia-class Submarines SSN 814, SSN 815, and SSN 816". United States Navy. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
2. Shelbourne, Mallory (16 January 2025). "SECNAV Del Toro Names Four More Warships at SNA, 16 Ships Named This Month". USNI News. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
3. "SECNAV Del Toro Names Future Virginia-class Submarines SSN 814, SSN 815, and SSN 816". navy.mil. 13 January 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
4. Manuel, Rojoef (30 June 2025). "General Dynamics Awarded $1.8B Deal for US Navy Virginia Submarines". The Defense Post. No. Americas Sea. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
5. Shelbourne, Mallory (15 January 2025). "SECNAV Del Toro Names Four More Warships at SNA, 16 Ships Named This Month". USNI News. United States Naval Institute . Retrieved 24 October 2025.
6. Keller, John (15 July 2025). "General Dynamics moves ahead on Virginia-class Block VI attack submarines and sensors for undersea warfare". Military Aerospace. EndeavorB2B. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
7. "Virginia Block III: The Revised Bow". Defense Industry Daily. Defense Industry Daily, LLC. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
8. "Attack Submarines - SSN". United States Navy. Retrieved 9 May 2024.^{[ dead link ]}
9. "Hicks Named Sponsor of Newly Named Nuclear Submarine". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
10. LaGrone, Sam (6 August 2024). "Navy Awards $1.3B Long-Lead Contract for Virginia Block VI Boats Ahead of Anticipated Multi-Year Contract". USNI News. Retrieved 18 January 2025.