The U.S. Navy issued a series of contract modifications totaling approximately $76.6 billion to General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding for nuclear submarine construction. The total value of the awards was reported by both contractors, but not by the U.S. Dept. of Defense.

According to the USN announcement, the awards will fund construction of five Build II Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines and nine Block VI Virginia-class attack submarines, plus procurement of “a tenth shipset of material” for the latter vessels, meaning the inventory of long lead-time components that will be incorporated (eventually) into a submarine to be manufactured at some later date.

General Dynamics separately reported it has been awarded $29.5 billion for five additional Columbia-class subs and $42.1 billion for nine Virginia-class subs, plus funding for shipyard infrastructure.

HII’s announcement did not stipulate its projected income from the contracts.

The U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarine construction contracts are awarded jointly to Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding because they are the only domestic shipyards with the design and build capabilities for those vessels, and the arrangement maintains both companies' expertise while preserving competition and the Pentagon’s strategic requirements.

The majority of the work will be carried out at Electric Boat in Groton, Conn., and Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va. The Pentagon’s announcement further indicated that other contractor work will be conducted in California, Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia, Minnesota, Arizona, and other domestic locations.

The Columbia-class is a series of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine developed to replace the Ohio-class, with an initial delivery in 2027 and naval service to begin by 2031. They are described as the largest and most advanced submarines ever to be built for the U.S. Navy, 560 feet long and featuring a 43-ft beam, with a displacement of 21,140 tons.

Columbia-class submarines will replace the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines.

The Virginia-class subs have been in service since 2004, and the Block VI series represents the current phase of the Navy’s attack submarine modernization efforts. They incorporate the stealth capability, intelligence gathering and weapons systems technologies, and are deployed to seek and destroy enemy subs and surface ships; launch Tomahawk cruise missiles; deploy Special Operation Forces; carry out Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions; support carrier battle group operations; and engage in naval mine warfare.

The funds being awarded will be drawn from 2024, 2025, and 2026 defense budgets. The Pentagon expects the work assigned under the contract modifications will continue through July 2038.