US spurring new submarine arms race: Russian expert

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The USS Virginia nuclear-powered attack submarine.

The United States has launched a new arms race by announcing the order of 10 brand new SSN 774 Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines on Apr. 28, according to Andrei Frolov, chief editor of the Russian magazine Arms Export.

The US Navy currently operates 10 Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines. Under the new contract worth US$17.6 billion, the construction of the 10 new submarines will be completed in five years, assuring submarine orders for prime contractor General Dynamics Electric Boat and chief subcontractor Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding through to 2018, the Washington-based Defense News reported.

With two vessels completed each year, Frolov said that the United States will have far more nuclear-powered attack submarines than Russia by 2020. At that time, Russia will have around 20 nuclear-powered attack submarines, but only three to five of them will have the capability to compete against the Virginia-class, according to Frolov. In addition to its 20 Virginia-class subs, the US Navy also operates three Seawolf-class and 41 Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarines.

Frolov said that the US Navy would never deploy its entire submarine fleet against Russia because China is also its potential challenger in the Western Pacific. China currently has five Type 091 Han-class submarines and is planning to build between five and six more nuclear-powered attack submarines to catch up with the United States and Russia, Frolov said.

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