Kenneth Braithwaite, secretary of the U.S. Navy, has announced that the service branch will name two of its future attack submarines as USS Tang and USS Wahoo.
The Navy said Wednesday the Virginia-class SSN 805 and SSN 806 submarines represent the third time that U.S. Navy submarines will carry the names Tang and Wahoo.
The first USS Tang was a Balao-class submarine designated as SS-306 in 1943. The second one, designated as SS-563, was commissioned in 1951 as the first Tang-class submarine.
SS-238, the first USS Wahoo, was a Gato-class vessel also commissioned in 1943. The second Tang-class SS-565 vessel was commissioned in 1952.
“Along with the previously named USS Barb (SSN 804), these boats will honor the strong traditions and heritage of the silent service,” said Braithwaite in a previous announcement.
The Navy’s attack submarines work to destroy surface ships as well as subsurface vessels. The submarines are built to support operations such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, mine warfare and power-projection activities with Tomahawk cruise missiles.