US attack submarine crew picks up top award for 'demanding' spy operations

• The USS Washington submarine was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation after a series of secret intel operations.
• The military said the "demanding" missions were vital to national security and obtained "sensitive and unique" intel.

A US attack submarine crew was honored with a top award after running "demanding" secret intelligence-gathering missions.

The USS Washington, a Virginia-class fast-attack submarine, received the award earlier this year for "outstanding performance in action" during a recent six-month deployment to the Sixth Fleet area of operations, which covers roughly 20 million square nautical miles of ocean around Russia, Europe, and Africa.

Last week, Submarine Forces Atlantic announced that the Washington's crew was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation in July. The prestigious award was presented to the crew by Capt. Timothy Poe on behalf of US President Joe Biden.

The crew's recent deployment involved "three demanding missions vital to national security that resulted in obtaining sensitive and unique intelligence information," the Navy said.

The Washington, also known as the Blackfish, additionally broke the record for most days on station for east coast deployments and sailed with the most women ever deployed on a fast-attack submarine.

The PUC is the highest unit award in the Department of Defense and is given to "any US military unit that has distinguished itself by outstanding performance and heroism in action against enemy forces," the Navy explained.

It is unclear what the target of the Washington's intelligence-gathering missions was.

"The award of the Presidential Unit Citation to the USS Washington is a profound honor, signifying the crew's exceptional dedication and strategic impact," said Vice Adm. Rob Gaucher, the Submarine Forces commander.

Gaucher added that the submarine's work "in challenging, high risk environments completing vital national level missions demonstrates the key role our submarines play in ensuring maritime security and global stability."

Fast-attack submarines, such as the Washington, are a pillar of the Navy's warfare, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. The Washington is a Block III Virginia-class vessel and was commissioned in 2017. It was built by Huntington Ingalls Industries in partnership with General Dynamics' Electric Boat.