SSN(X): Next-generation U.S. Submarine Will Be Packed to the Gills With Weapons: Building on its prowess in undersea warfare, the U.S. Navy is working on a yet-to-be-designed new submarine that will have the speed and firepower to dominate enemy shipping and submarines. Admirals in charge of procurement of the SSN(X) program are excited. This next-generation attack sub will be faster and quieter than the current and already capable nuclear-attack Virginia-class boat.
Rear Admiral Doug Perry, the director of the undersea warfare division on the chief of naval operations staff, told USNI News in November that “We don’t know the specific characteristics that will be in SSNs. But we do believe that the next submarine will have a large horizontal payload capacity. You can read that as it’s going to carry a lot of torpedoes. And we know how to do that. It’ll be fast. And it’ll have acoustic superiority. That’s both sensors to hear the other ships out there as well as stealth – staying quiet,” Perry said.
