HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat will execute the work. The contracts cover Build II Columbia-class submarines and Block VI Virginia-class submarines.
Electric Boat received $29.5 billion for five additional Columbia-class submarines. It received another $42.1 billion for nine additional Virginia-class submarines.
The remaining package includes support for shipyard infrastructure. The funding is intended to strengthen capacity across the U.S. submarine industrial base.
Newport News Shipbuilding will serve as the delivery yard for six Virginia-class submarines. The HII division will also build and deliver six module sections for each Columbia-class submarine.
“We are committed to building the nuclear-powered submarines that protect our nation,” Newport News Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said. “These contracts provide the American shipbuilding industrial base the opportunity to demonstrate that commitment in a meaningful way and we are honored to serve our customer and our country.”
Newport News Shipbuilding and Electric Boat have delivered 26 Virginia-class submarines to date. The two companies form the core of the Navy’s nuclear submarine construction team.
Electric Boat said the awards provide greater certainty for future investment and workforce planning. “These important contract modifications provide Electric Boat and our suppliers with the demand certainty we need to continue investing in capacity and hiring the workforce necessary to ensure we deliver these important national security assets on schedule,” President Mark Rayha said.
HII employs about 45,000 people and describes itself as America’s largest shipbuilder. The company also develops unmanned systems, C6ISR, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare and synthetic training capabilities.
