By Brett Davis, Editor-in-Chief, Seapower Magazine
General Dynamics Electric Boat, a business unit of General Dynamics (Booth 623) has been awarded a $1 billion contract modification allowing Electric Boat to buy long-lead-time materials for Virginia-class Block VI submarines.
The contract award says work is expected to be completed by September 2035 with the largest section of the work, 30%, being performed in Sunnyvale, California.
“This contract modification drives continuation of the crucial demand signal that the submarine industrial base needs to invest in the capacity and materials required to increase production volume,” said Mark Rayha, president of General Dynamics Electric Boat. “Consistent funding for the supply base is essential to achieve the high-rate production the Navy requires of the entire submarine enterprise.”
Virginia-class submarines are designed from the keel up for the full range of 21st-century mission requirements, including anti-submarine and surface ship warfare and special operations support. General Dynamics Electric Boat is the prime contractor and lead design yard for the Virginia class and constructs them in a teaming arrangement with HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia.
The production rate of Virginia-class submarines has been slower than expected, but the Navy and industry are working to increase the rate even beyond the planned buy of two submarines per year. The subs are also a crucial part of the AUKUS agreement to support Australia in acquiring and building nuclear-powered submarines.
