USS Arizona (SSN-803)

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

Arizona (SSN-803), a Block V Virginia-class submarine, will be the fourth United States Navy vessel named for the state of Arizona, and the first vessel to carry the name since the loss of the USS Arizona (BB-39) during the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, which pulled the US into World War II. Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly announced the name on 24 December 2019, in a press release.^[2] Arizona was authorized for construction on 2 December 2019.^[3] Arizona will be the second Block V boat, and the first boat to feature the Virginia Payload Module.^[4]

USS Arizona (SSN-803)

The lead boat of the Virginia class, USS Virginia (SSN-774)
History
United States
Name	USS Arizona
Namesake	State of Arizona
Ordered	2 December 2019
Builder	General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut
Laid down	7 December 2022[1]
Sponsored by	Nikki Stratton[1]
Identification	Hull number: SSN-803
Status	Keel Laid
General characteristics
Class and 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 UGM-109 Tomahawk

The keel laying ceremony took place 7 December 2022 at the Quonset Point Facility of General Dynamics Electric Boat in North Kingston, RI. The sponsor for Arizona is Nikki Stratton, the granddaughter of Donald Stratton, a Seaman First Class aboard the battleship USS Arizona who survived the attack. He died in February 2020 at the age of 97.^[1]

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.^[5]