General Dynamics Wins Navy Nuclear Submarine Contract

July 9, 2010
$172-million award to conduct R&D, manage construction, oversee shakedown

Electric Boat, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics Corp., reports it has a new contract worth $171.8 million from the U.S. Navy to provide “lead-yard services” for manufacturing the Virginia Class nuclear submarine.

The Virginia Class is planned as a series of 30 stealth multi-mission nuclear-powered submarines for deep ocean anti-submarine warfare and littoral (shallow water) operations. According to General Dynamics, the contract has a potential cumulative value of $881 million if all options are fully funded and exercised.

The production program is due to run through 2014.

Under the contract, Electric Boat will maintain and update design drawings and data, including technology insertions, for each submarine in the Class throughout its construction and post-shakedown periods. Also, Electric Boat will conduct R&D to evaluate new technology for the submarine class.