Northrop Grumman’s concept for a submarine-launched AARGM-ER
The U.S. defense company Northrop Grumman has proposed a concept for operating the hypersonic anti-radiation missile AGM-88G AARGM-ER from submarines. However, this is not a formal development project initiated by the U.S. Navy, but rather a company-led concept that combines existing missiles with an underwater launch capsule.
According to a report by Naval News in June 2025, Northrop Grumman unveiled a model of the submarine-launched AARGM-ER at the Combined Naval Event 2025 held in the United Kingdom. The key concept involves using a sealed capsule to transport the missile to the surface before launching it, rather than igniting the missile directly underwater.
AARGM-ER is not an interceptor missile for air defense
The AARGM-ER is not a fleet air defense missile designed to intercept aircraft or drones. According to the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command, the AARGM family of missiles is a air-to-surface anti-radiation missile that performs the mission of suppressing and destroying enemy air defense systems.
The basic AARGM incorporates the ability to track the radio emissions of enemy radar systems, along with GPS, inertial navigation, and millimeter-wave sensors. It is designed to be able to reacquire and attack a target even if the radar ceases its radio transmissions.
The AGM-88G AARGM-ER, an extended-range version, is a hypersonic weapon that has improved range, survivability, and attack capabilities through the application of a new propulsion system, airframe design, and improved warhead. The existing operational plan focuses on aircraft deployment, primarily on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the EA-18G Growler.
Underwater launch method using SACS capsules
The Northrop Grumman’s SACS system is used in submarine-launched missile systems. SACS is a modular capsule designed to store missiles or unmanned aerial vehicles in a sealed environment and release them from a submarine launch tube. It is not designed for underwater operation.
The capsule can separate from the submarine and move underwater or remain stationary for a certain period. After the launch submarine leaves the area, the capsule surfaces, and the missile inside is ignited, launching towards the target.
This structure can reduce the burden of completely redesigning the missile itself to withstand seawater and hydrostatic pressure. It can also separate the submarine from the actual missile launch point, which is expected to reduce the risk of the launch platform’s location being exposed.
Targeted attacks linked to external platforms
According to a report by Naval News, the capsule and missile can receive target information from aircraft or surface ships via data links. The report also described operational methods that utilize pre-input target information by the submarine, or that link with external surveillance and reconnaissance platforms to attack moving targets.
Submarine capsule technology tested since the 2000s
SACS (Submarine Advanced Combat System) is not a newly developed technology. According to a Northrop Grumman document released in January 2005, during a U.S. Navy “Silent Hammer” training exercise, the Ohio-class submarine USS Georgia launched two SACS test units through its missile launch tubes.
At that time, the capsule contained a test model that replicated an unmanned aerial vehicle. The tests verified the submarine launch tube ejection process, the surfacing process, and the function of protecting the internal components.
Northrop Grumman stated that this technology allows existing air, surface, and underwater-launched weapons and unmanned systems to be integrated into submarine platforms without requiring a complete overhaul.
Potential for utilizing large launch tubes on Virginia-class submarines
Northrop Grumman’s concept is primarily intended for the large launch tubes of the U.S. Navy’s Virginia-class attack submarines. According to U.S. Navy data, Virginia-class submarines, starting with Block III, will be equipped with two Virginia Payload Tubes in the bow, and each launch tube can carry six Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Some Block V submarines are equipped with the Virginia Payload Module, which adds four large launch tubes in the center of the hull. This module increases the submarine’s total vertical launch missile capacity by adding 28 Tomahawk missiles, bringing the total to approximately 40.
Naval News reported that the Block V Virginia-class submarines, when equipped with Northrop Grumman’s design, can operate up to 40 hypersonic attack missiles. The actual number of missiles that can be carried may vary depending on the capsule specifications, the integration of the launch tubes, and the submarine’s mission-specific weapon configuration.
Expanding submarine missions to include precision strikes from sea and land
If submarine-launched Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range (AARGM-ER) becomes a reality, U.S. Navy submarines will gain the option to quickly attack enemy air defense radars, ships, and time-sensitive targets, going beyond the current Tomahawk-centric land attack capabilities.
Submarines can approach enemy coastlines covertly, allowing them to attack from directions that are less predictable than those of land-based launchers or aircraft. When integrated with external reconnaissance assets, submarines can conduct network-based strikes without directly detecting targets themselves.
However, the AARGM-ER missile launched from submarines, which was unveiled in 2025, was a conceptual design proposed by Northrop Grumman. It was not an official acquisition program or a test launch schedule announced by the U.S. Navy, and its actual deployment requires further verification of the capsule and missile integration, underwater safety, communication, and target information update technologies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Has the U.S. Navy officially begun development of the submarine-launched AARGM-ER?
No. The publicly revealed submarine-launched AARGM-ER is a vendor-initiated concept proposed by Northrop Grumman in 2025. The U.S. Navy has not announced any official acquisition program or deployment schedule for it.
Is the AARGM-ER a missile for intercepting aircraft and drones?
No. The AARGM-ER is a hypersonic anti-radiation missile designed to attack enemy ground-based air defense missile radars and integrated air defense systems. Its mission is different from that of fleet air defense intercept missiles, which are used to defend against airborne targets.
Are the missiles launched directly from submarines underwater?
In the proposed concept, the missile is housed within a SACS (Submerged Acoustic Countermeasures) sealed capsule and launched from a submarine. The capsule rises to the surface, and then the internal missile is ignited to begin its flight.
What is a SACS?
SACS is a modular capsule designed to protect missiles or unmanned aerial vehicles that are not designed for underwater operation, enabling their launch from submarines. Related launch technologies were tested in U.S. Navy training exercises in the 2000s.
Which submarines can it be installed on?
Northrop Grumman has proposed that U.S. Navy submarines, specifically those equipped with large vertical launch systems, be considered as potential platforms. In particular, the Block V Virginia-class submarines, which are equipped with the Virginia Payload Module, are being cited as a likely option.
