The US Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $15.38-billion contract modification to support, sustain, and accelerate the Columbia-class submarine program.
Identified as the navy’s top priority acquisition, the upcoming 12-unit Columbia-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBNs) fleet is designed to replace the aging Ohio-class submarines by the 2030s to maintain the US nuclear triad.
The latest funding covers continued design work, sustainment, and lead shipyard support, while also strengthening the submarine industrial base and broader program coordination.
Supply chain investments will support not only the Columbia-class SSBNs but also the Virginia-class nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine program.
Work is distributed across various US states, with primary sites in Groton, Connecticut (21 percent); Newport News, Virginia (6 percent); and Sunnyvale, California (5 percent).
Program Updates
General Dynamics landed a $9.5-billion US Navy contract in 2020 to begin construction of the first two submarines, the future USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826) and USS Wisconsin (SSBN-827), originally targeted for delivery in 2027.
However, program challenges identified by the navy and the Government Accountability Office in 2024 risked potentially delaying the submarine’s planned entry into service.
These included the abrupt disruption in the supply chain because of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as persistent design and construction challenges.
In February 2026, the navy confirmed the lead submarine is on track for a 2028 delivery and full-rate production by 2031, while the second is scheduled for delivery at the end of the decade.
Columbia-Class
Each Columbia-class submarine has stealth features reinforced by hull shaping, acoustic coatings, and internal machinery isolation that reduce noise and vibration, as well as advanced propulsion that minimizes acoustic signatures.
Measuring 560 feet (171 meter) long, the vessels are expected to operate at a speed of more than 20 knots (23 miles/37 kilometers per hour), with a diving depth of over 800 feet (244 meters).
It is armed with 16 Trident D5 long-range ballistic missiles, which are also equipped aboard the US Navy’s aging Ohio-class SSBNs and also in the UK’s Vanguard-class submarines used for nuclear deterrence.
