Virginia-class submarine USS "Washington" earns top U.S. award
The American Virginia-class submarine USS "Washington" received the highest distinction awarded to military units—the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). President Biden awarded the citation, which recognizes "extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy."
The submarine's award was announced on the U.S. Navy's website. Although the information was published on October 21st, it refers to earlier events that were only recently disclosed. The award was granted on July 19, 2024, for "outstanding achievements during operations under the 6th Fleet."
Official information does not specify exactly what actions merited the award from the U.S. President. It is known only that over six months, the USS Washington undertook three missions of critical importance to U.S. national security, resulting in the acquisition of "confidential and unique intelligence information."
While the Presidential Unit Citation is typically awarded for heroism displayed by a unit or ship's crew in battle, in the case of the Washington, the justification for the award was likely intelligence operations.
It's worth noting that submarines are excellent tools for gathering, among other things, information that creates acoustic (sonar), thermal, or radar profiles of various vessels. This allows for the creation of a data library that determines the target parameters for various missiles and torpedoes.
Virginia-class submarines
USS Washington (SSN 787) is a Virginia-class vessel. It is the 14th submarine in the series and entered service in 2017. The Virginia class consists of multi-purpose nuclear-powered vessels classified as modern, fourth-generation submarines.
They were developed as a more cost-effective alternative to the Seawolf-class vessels after the end of the Cold War. Their design allows for a wide range of tasks—from conventional land attacks and countering enemy ships on and below the surface to intelligence operations and support for special forces missions.
The Virginia class displaces nearly 8,800 tons submerged, has a hull length of 367 feet, and can dive to at least 1,970 feet. The submarines reach speeds above 29 mph, and their crew consists of 134 officers and sailors. Their armament includes four 21-inch torpedo tubes and 12 vertical launch system (VLS) tubes designed for Tomahawk BGM-109 cruise missiles.
