The US Department of Defense has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $2.28-billion contract to advance procurement and construction of five Columbia-class fleet ballistic missile submarines.
The deal supports the assembly of hulls 828 to 832 and pushes the program forward under the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, a set of rules the Pentagon uses to ensure purchases of military capabilities are executed according to federal guidelines.
Work will be carried out primarily at Electric Boat’s shipyard in Groton, Connecticut, with supporting activities in Virginia and Rhode Island.
Electric Boat will coordinate progress with the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC, which oversees the contracting tasks for this key initiative under America’s next-generation nuclear deterrence strategy.
Commissioned by 2031
Construction of the US Navy’s Columbia-class program began in 2020 to replace the Ohio-class submarines operational since the 1980s.
The government currently plans a total of 12 vessels under the effort.
The lead platform of the series, the USS District of Columbia (SSBN 826), is expected to enter service in 2031.
The second ship, the USS Wisconsin (SSBN 827), had its keel laid in late August and is also slated for commissioning that same year.
The Columbia Submarine
Each Columbia system spans 560 feet (171 meters) in length and has a beam of 43 feet (13 meters).
They will be fitted with torpedoes and UGM-133 Trident II underwater-launched ballistic missiles, supporting their primary function as the sea-based capability of the Pentagon’s nuclear triad.
The fleet will run with an S1B nuclear reactor, which supplies power for propulsion and electricity, and a more advanced sensing suite compared to conventional packages integrated in the naval force’s existing attack submarines.
A Columbia vessel can carry 115 people and attain a top speed of over 20 knots (23 miles/37 kilometers per hour).
