The US Department of Defense has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $1.8-billion contract to continue long lead time materials acquisition in support of the US Navy’s Virginia-class Block VI submarine program.
The award builds on a $2.2-billion deal in 2023, a $1.3-billion deal in August 2024, and a further $1.06-billion deal in April, all covering advanced procurement of necessary components and advanced construction works related to the production of the incoming fleet.
General Dynamics signed another agreement earlier in June for lead yard support, component development, and supplier development enhancements for the submarines.
Work for the contract will be facilitated in California and other facilities across the US.
It is scheduled to be finalized by September 2035, with the company coordinating its progress with the Naval Sea Systems Command, the US Navy’s materiel and fielding organization.
Latest Nuclear Attack Submarine
Washington’s ongoing Virginia-class submarine production aims to supply the navy with up to 66 nuclear-powered fast-attack systems capable of 21st-century operations.
They are slated to replace the US Navy’s fleet of 62 Los Angeles-class submarines, commissioned beginning in the 1970s, and of which more than half have since been decommissioned.
Under this initiative, the Virginia Block VI submarines will retain the core design and technologies of the current Block V configuration while introducing advanced payload module enhancements.
These upgrades are designed to significantly increase strike capability and expand operational effectiveness in sea warfare.
The navy plans to build up to 13 Block VI systems. The force named the first three hulls of the series, the USS Potomac (SSN 814), the USS Norfolk (SSN 815), and the USS Brooklyn (SSN 816), in January 2025.
The Virginia-Class System
The Virginia submarine measures 377 to 460 feet (115 to 140 meters), depending on its configuration, and can carry about 130 personnel.
It is armed with subsonic cruise missiles, advanced anti-ship missiles, and heavyweight torpedoes, providing robust offensive capabilities against modern surface combatants and underwater threats.
The vessel is equipped with a 280,000-horsepower nuclear reactor, direct steam turbines, diesel generators, and a battery backup system.
It has a top speed of 25 knots (46 kilometers/29 miles per hour), an operational depth of more than 800 feet (244 meters), and an estimated maximum test/crush depth of 1,800 feet (549 meters).
