Outwardly, the USS Virginia utilizes the well-accepted tubular shape common with all modern submarines. The tower is set well forward and is home to digital multi-purpose masts as well as communications and navigation while available night vision and infrared cameras broaden tactical flexibility. A sonar array is located along the front facing of the sail. In the bow of the hull is a spherical sonar installation with extended range capabilities. The installation is protected by sound reduction surfaces aft which keep the boat's own noises from interfering with searches and tracking. The boat can tow an array to cover the vulnerable rear of the vessel and additional arrays are set along the hull sides to complete coverage. The VLS tubes are located forward of the sail and aft of the sonar sphere in the bow. Torpedo tubes are mounted to the sides of the vessel near the sail with the torpedo room just aft. The vessel's command center is located under and aft of the sail. Its hull placement allows for more equipment to be fitted (as opposed to a more traditional placement in the tower, which limits internal space). Crew quarters are located near amidships and come complete with a mess hall, showers and berths (119 bunk beds with additional space in the torpedo room if required). The nuclear reactor is set aft of the crew quarters with a control room aft of the reactor room itself. The engine room (holding the machinery, electrical services and desalinization system) takes up much of the aft portion of the vessel. Ballast tanks are located near the bow and at the stern. Primary dive planes are set about the bow sides in the usual way. Directional control at the stern is by way of a dorsal and ventral rudder and two horizontal stern planes. A propulsor duct shrouds the propeller from detection and possible damage.
Since commissioned in 2004, the USS Virginia has become a prominent player in ongoing US military actions concerning Afghanistan and Iraq. Early deployments have seen her make ports of call in Spain, Greece, the UAE, Turkey and elsewhere. She completed her first deployment in November of 2005 and underwent a major overhaul throughout 2011 into 2012. She maintains an active status in the US Navy fleet as of 2013.
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