USS John H. Dalton (SSN-808) will be a nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarine for the United States Navy, the seventh of the Block V attack submarines and 35th overall of the class. She will be the first U.S. Naval vessel named for John Howard Dalton, the 70th Secretary of the Navy and a former submariner who, after graduating with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1964, served aboard the attack submarine USS Blueback (SS-581) and the ballistic missile submarine USS John C. Calhoun (SSBN-630).[2]

USS John H. Dalton
Lead boat of Virginia class USS Virginia (SSN 774) returns to the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard after its "alpha" sea trials in 2004.
The lead boat of the Virginia class, USS Virginia (SSN-774).
History
United States
NameJohn H. Dalton
NamesakeJohn Howard Dalton
Ordered2 December 2019[1]
BuilderGeneral Dynamics Electric Boat[1]
IdentificationPennant number:SSN-808
General characteristics
Class and typeVirginia-class submarine
Displacement10,200 tons
Length460 ft (140 m)
Beam34 ft (10.4 m)
Draft32 ft (9.8 m)
PropulsionS9G reactor auxiliary diesel engine
Speed25 knots (46 km/h)
Endurancecan remain submerged for more than 3 months
Test depthgreater than 800 ft (244 m)
Complement
  • 15 officers
  • 120 enlisted crew
Armament40 VLS tubes (12 forward VPT; 28 in VPM), four 21 inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes for Mk-48 torpedoes BGM-109 Tomahawk

The submarine's name was announced on 28 February 2023 by Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.[3]

Design

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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.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b "SSN-808". nvr.navy.mil. 1 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  2. ^ Potter, William Taylor (6 March 2023). "U.S. Navy naming new nuclear submarine after Louisiana native". The Daily Advertiser. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  3. ^ "SECNAV Names Future Virginia-class Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine after 70th Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton" (Press release). United States Navy. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Attack Submarines - SSN". United States Navy. Retrieved 9 May 2024.