The US Navy has awarded contract modifications worth a combined $76.6 billion to General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding for additional Virginia- and Columbia-class nuclear-powered submarines. Electric Boat received $29.5 billion to construct five additional Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines and another $42.1 billion to build nine Block VI Virginia-class attack submarines, including funding for shipyard infrastructure. Newport News Shipbuilding will serve as the delivery yard for six of the nine Virginia-class boats and will manufacture six major module sections for each Columbia-class submarine. Work will be carried out at facilities across the US, with completion expected by 2038. The Columbia-class is being developed to replace the Ohio-class fleet and maintain the sea-based component of the US nuclear triad. The Virginia-class, meanwhile, is replacing Los Angeles-class submarines and supports missions including anti-submarine warfare, land attack, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and special operations. The contracts represent a major expansion of US undersea production and are intended to sustain the Navy’s long-term submarine fleet requirements.
