Block V Virginia-class submarines are being built in Groton, Connecticut. Many more Block V’s have been ordered and will be built shortly. Block V offers a number of upgrades from the first four Virginia-class blocks, and it could serve for another five decades.
Meet the Virginia-Class Block V
The Virginia was designed as a class of fast-attack submarines meant to be more affordable than the $2.8 billion Seawolf class. While the Seawolf was a capable fast-attack sub, it was so expensive that the program was cancelled after only three subs were built.
The Virginia class is cheap by comparison, costing $1.8 billion per unit. Both submarine classes were built to replace the aging Los Angeles class.
To date, quite a few Virginia-class submarines have entered service, most of them from Blocks I, II, and III. Only a few Block IV Virginias are in service. Given that the Block IV program is not yet complete, and is a highly capable submarine, the Block V is especially forward-looking.
It was designed to address a specific vulnerability: the growing missile gap between the U.S. and rising superpower China.