Virginia Block V and the risk of confusing submarine roles

The payload-module discussion turns from hull proportions to the missions assigned to the longer submarine. The concern is that retaining the Virginia name encourages expectations that the enlarged boat can perform every mission associated with the earlier attack submarines. Participants argue that reduced maneuverability and stealth would make some of those tasks more dangerous. They describe the enlarged design as moving toward the guided-missile submarine role while still being presented as another block of the same attack-submarine class. The discussion presents a concern about future employment, without demonstrating the boat's performance in those missions.