Goodbye Ohio, hello Virginia: US navy's next-gen submarines to carry 40 Tomahawks

The US Navy has announced that future Virginia-class submarines equipped with the Virginia Payload Module (VPM) will be redesignated as guided missile submarines (SSGNs), marking a significant shift in how the service plans to employ its next generation of undersea strike platforms.Announcing the move, Vice Admiral Rob Gaucher, Director of Submarine Programs, described the redesignation as "a clear acknowledgment of the increased lethality VPM brings to the undersea fight."He said the added payload capacity would allow the Navy to project greater strike power, deter adversaries, reassure allies and maintain undersea dominance for decades to come.The move comes as the US navy prepares to retire its four Ohio-class guided missile submarines (SSGNs), which currently serve as its primary conventional land-attack platforms.