General Dynamics Electric Boat Awarded $517 Million Contract for Virginia-class Submarine Parts
General Dynamics Electric Boat, a business unit of General Dynamics, has announced a significant milestone in its ongoing support for the U.S. Navy. The company has been awarded a $517.2 million delivery contract under a previously issued basic ordering agreement. This contract focuses on the procurement and delivery of initial spare parts for the Virginia-class attack submarines to ensure their maintenance and operational readiness. The work related to this contract will be performed at the company’s facilities in Groton and Pawcatuck, Connecticut.
General Dynamics Electric Boat specializes in designing, building, repairing, and modernizing nuclear submarines for the U.S. Navy. The company, headquartered in Groton, Connecticut, employs approximately 21,000 people and has a long-standing history of contributing to the nation’s naval defense capabilities.
Kevin Graney, the president of General Dynamics Electric Boat, emphasized the company’s dedication to supporting the U.S. Navy. He stated, “The shipbuilders of Electric Boat are proud to continue our role providing lifecycle maintenance support to the U.S. Navy’s operational submarine fleet in keeping with our mission to provide sailors with the advantage that helps protect our nation.”
The Virginia-class, also known as the SSN-774 class, represents the latest generation of nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarines in service with the U.S. Navy. These submarines are the result of a collaboration between General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries. The Virginia-class submarines feature cutting-edge stealth technology, intelligence-gathering capabilities, and advanced weapons systems. During a Senate confirmation hearing on September 14, 2023, Admiral Lisa Franchetti highlighted the need for increased production rates, aiming to ramp up from 1.2 to 2.2 submarines per year to meet the targets set by the AUKUS security partnership.
Virginia-class submarines are designed for a wide range of missions, including open-ocean and littoral operations, anti-submarine warfare, and intelligence gathering. To address the low production rates, the Navy has partnered with DARPA to overcome technological barriers and reduce the cost of building attack submarines, ensuring the fleet’s size can be maintained. These submarines are set to replace the older Los Angeles-class submarines, many of which have already been decommissioned. The acquisition of Virginia-class submarines will continue through 2043, with these vessels expected to remain in service until at least 2060, and potentially into the 2070s.
