General Dynamics awarded $1.3 billion for Virginia submarines
GD is the prime contractor and builds them with HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS). (Photo: GD)
Around 50 Virginia class submarines are planned for the US Navy (USN) with a total of 38 currently ordered and 21 having been delivered from various blocks.
General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) has received US$1.3 billion to order long lead items for Virginia-class Block VI nuclear fast-attack submarines and follows on from similar orders earlier this year.
It is expected that between 11 and 13 boats will be ordered in Block VI starting with SSN 812 and it is likely this is the last long lead contract to be placed before construction contracts are awarded. SSN 812 up to SSN 822 are expected to have a total value of $53.9 billion.
In February, GDEB was awarded $151 million contract for Virginia-class submarines SSN 814, SSN 815, SSN 816 and SSN 817, in July 2024 $181 million for long-lead time material associated with the Virginia Class Block VI submarines, and in October 2023 $216.5 million for SSN 814 and SSN 815.
In the light of 2022’s damage to the Nordic Stream gas pipeline, one of the two new Block VI boats requested in the FY2024 US Navy budget would be built to a special configuration labelled as the ‘modified Virginia-class subsea and seabed warfare (Mod VA SSW)’ variant.
In April 2024, the USN took delivery of its 23rd Virginia-class submarine USS New Jersey (SSN 796), the 11th boat built by NNS with 12 other boats built by GDEB. USS New Jersey was christened in November 2021 at NNS and the submarine is expected to be commissioned later this year.
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