USS Wahoo (SSN-806)

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

USS Wahoo (SSN-806), a Block V Virginia-class submarine for the United States Navy, will be the fifth United States Navy submarine to bear the name, beginning with the World War II-era USS Wahoo (SS-238). It was ordered on 2 December 2019. Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braithwaite officially announced the name on 17 November 2020, in a press release.^[2]

USS Wahoo (SSN-806)

The lead boat of the Virginia class, USS Virginia (SSN-774).
History
United States
Name	USS Wahoo
Namesake	Wahoo
Ordered	2 December 2019[1]
Builder	Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
Status	Ordered
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 periods in excess of 3 months
Test depth	greater than 800 ft (244 m)
Complement	15 officers 120 enlisted men
Armament	40 VLS tubes (12 forward VPT; 28 in VPM), four 21 inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes for Mk-48 torpedoes BGM-109 Tomahawk

Design

Compared to Blocks I-IV of Virginia-class submarines, Block V vessels will incorporate previously introduced modifications to the base design in addition to a Virginia Payload Module (VPM). The VPM inserts a segment into the boat's hull which adds four vertical launch tubes. Each tube allows for the carrying of seven Tomahawk strike missiles, increasing her armament to a total of 40 missiles.^[3]