US Navy awards contract modification for two additional Virginia-class submarines

US Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded a two-ship modification on the existing Virginia-class submarine Block V contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) for the construction of two Virginia-class submarines in FY2024.

“We recently re-negotiated the planned contract to deliver this critical capability, and appropriately share risk between the navy and industry,” said Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan. “We will be looking at all future contracts with a similar lens to ensure the appropriate level of risk sharing and value to the American taxpayer.”

Contract modifications were also awarded to both GDEB and Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding division to increase workforce support and investment across nuclear shipbuilding programs.

Each of the two Block V Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines will be capable of supporting multiple mission areas and can operate at speeds of more than 25 knots for months at a time.

The submarines will be designed to carry out core missions including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, delivery of special operations forces, strike warfare, irregular warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and mine warfare.