US Navy awards contract modifications for submarine construction worth up to USD76.6 billion

The US Navy awarded contract modifications to build more Virginia-class submarines, like Arkansas, shown here. (Janes/Michael Fabey)

US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) awarded General Dynamics' Electric Boat (EB) and HII's Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) contract modifications on 29 July worth up to total combined USD76.6 billion for construction of Columbia-class fleet ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), Virginia-class attack submarines (SSNs) as well as associated work and materials for associated submarine work, the US Navy (USN) confirmed in a statement.

The modifications fund five Build II Columbia-class boats – SSBNs 828-832 – and nine Block VI Virginia-class submarines — SSNs 814-822 — as well as a 10th shipset of material and investments in shipbuilder productivity efforts, the USN said.

The Block VI award includes previously acknowledged material awards, including long-lead-time material and economic ordering quantity material, the USN said.

Work is scheduled to be completed by July 2038, the USN said.

Money obligated at the time of the contract-modifications award includes the following: USD6.4 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2026 shipbuilding and conversion (SCN) funding; USD3.7 billion in FY 2025 SCN funding; USD1.3 billion in FY 2025 maritime industrial base funds; USD254 million in FY 2026 national sea-based deterrence funds; and USD171.1 million in FY 2024 SCN funding.

EB and NNS build the two submarine classes under a partnership agreement. For this set of contract modifications. NNS will serve as the delivery yard for six of the planned SSNs, while constructing and delivering six module sections per Columbia-class submarine, NNS said in a 29 July statement.

The current modifications provide USD29.5 billion for the Columbia-class submarines and USD42.1 billion for the Virginia-class boats, according to a 29 July General Dynamics statement.