US Navy further invests into Virginia-class submarines
The Virginia-class attack submarine Pre-Commissioning Unit Minnesota pulls pierside at Naval Station Norfolk. (Photo: US Navy)
General Dynamics has received a contract modification from the US DoD to perform additional work for the USN’s Virginia-class submarines.
Electric Boat Corporation, a subsidiary of General Dynamics, has been awarded a contract modification valued at over $269 million by the US DoD for work related to the Virginia-class submarines.
General Dynamics will perform lead yard support, development studies and design efforts.
The original contract was awarded in October 2019 by PEO Submarines and has an expected completion date of October 10, 2024.
The contract has a ceiling value of $1.9 billion and there have been over $867 million made in obligations so far.
The USN’s Virginia-class submarines are built by both General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls Industries.
They are nuclear-powered attack submarines intended to replace the old Los Angeles-class submarines.
According to Shephard Defence Insight, around 48 submarines are planned, with a total of 38 currently ordered. 19 have been delivered from multiple blocks.
However, there is still major work required to field these submarines. The USN’s public shipyards require overhauls to accommodate the new class.
Delays, due to inadequate infrastructure, have caused submarines to shorten deployments or miss them entirely. Over the past 12 years, attack submarine overhauls took 20-40% longer than planned.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Naval Warfare
-
![RTX confirms US Marine Corps and US Navy acquire Hadalus UUV]()
RTX confirms US Marine Corps and US Navy acquire Hadalus UUV
RTX told Shephard that the Hadalus UUV has been procured by the US Marine Corps and the Office of Naval Research for operational experimentation as the company prepares additional demonstrations with the US Navy, NATO and AUKUS partners.
-
![The UK joins the movement towards joint procurement]()
The UK joins the movement towards joint procurement
The UK will spend an estimated US$3.89 billion over the next decade in joint naval programmes, a lot of which will be in cooperation with Norway.
-
![Rheinmetall’s GMF 140: Ambitious frigate or market misfit?]()
Rheinmetall’s GMF 140: Ambitious frigate or market misfit?
Rheinmetall has unveiled its first next-generation frigate design, showing ambitions to compete as a surface combatant prime contractor. While the company is targeting North America, analysts believe the concept may be better positioned for future European programmes.
-
![US Navy $76.6bn award provides stability for submarine production]()
US Navy $76.6bn award provides stability for submarine production
The US Department of War’s US$76.6 billion Columbia-and Virginia-class submarine contract gives industry demand certainty as Washington seeks to rebuild its shipbuilding base.
