Block III

E649421

Block III is a production variant of the U.S. Navy’s Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines that incorporates significant design changes to improve capability and reduce construction costs.

Jump to: Statements Referenced by

Statements (44)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Virginia-class submarine variant
submarine production block
belongsToProgram U.S. Navy attack submarine modernization program
constructionSite General Dynamics Electric Boat NERFINISHED
Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding NERFINISHED
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
designChange increased use of modular construction techniques
integration of Virginia Payload Tubes in bow
reconfigured torpedo room
redesigned bow
reduced number of large sonar arrays in bow
reduced parts count compared to earlier blocks
replacement of 12 individual vertical launch system tubes with 2 large-diameter payload tubes
replacement of traditional sonar sphere with Large Aperture Bow array
revised bow sonar and weapons layout
structural changes to simplify construction
use of water-backed Large Aperture Bow sonar array
designGoal improved capability
reduced construction costs
designObjective enhanced littoral and open-ocean capability
improved lifecycle affordability
hasComponent Large Aperture Bow sonar array
Virginia Payload Tubes NERFINISHED
two large-diameter payload tubes in bow
introducedAs third major production block of Virginia-class submarines
mission anti-submarine warfare
anti-surface warfare
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
mine warfare
special operations support
strike warfare
navalArchitectureChange bow section redesign to incorporate payload tubes and LAB sonar
operator United States Navy
partOf Virginia-class submarine program NERFINISHED
predecessor Block I
Block II NERFINISHED
propulsion nuclear-powered
replacesFeatureOf 12-tube individual vertical launch system of earlier Virginia blocks
role multi-mission attack submarine
serviceBranch United States Navy Submarine Force NERFINISHED
submarineClass Virginia class NERFINISHED
submarineType attack submarine
successor Block IV NERFINISHED
Block V NERFINISHED

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.