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29. July 2026

The United States Navy has announced a significant contract award worth $76.6 billion for the production of new Virginia and Columbia-class submarines, marking a major milestone in the nation’s efforts to maintain its undersea superiority. The contracts, awarded to General Dynamics Electric Boat and HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding, will enable the construction of 14 new submarines, including nine Block VI Virginia-class vessels and five Build II Columbia-class ballistic submarines.
The Virginia-class submarine program has been a cornerstone of the Navy’s nuclear triad, providing a vital component of the country’s strategic deterrence capabilities. The program has faced significant challenges in recent years, including delays and cost overruns, which have led to concerns about its long-term sustainability. However, with this contract award, the Navy is signaling its commitment to investing in the modernization of its submarine fleet.
this historic investment underscores the Department’s continued commitment to undersea superiority and the recapitalization of our nuclear triad. By securing the continuous production of both the Columbia and Virginia classes, we ensure we will continue to deliver the world’s most lethal, survivable, and resilient combat platform to our global Combatant Commanders, while providing long-term stability to our shipbuilding industrial base.
The contract award is a significant win for General Dynamics Electric Boat and HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding, which have been competing fiercely for the contract. The two shipyards will jointly build the submarines, with the Virginia-class vessels being constructed at Newport News Shipbuilding’s facility in Virginia, while the Columbia-class ballistic submarines will be built at Electric Boat’s facility in Connecticut.
this historic investment provides our shipbuilders with the demand certainty they need to continue investing in capacity and hiring the workforce necessary to ensure we deliver these important national security assets on schedule. We are honored to serve our customer and our country, and we look forward to working together to build the next generation of submarines that will protect our nation for decades to come.
The contract award comes after months of intense lobbying by lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, who have pushed for the Navy to award the contract. Democrats and Republicans alike have recognized the importance of securing the contract, which will provide thousands of jobs and stimulate economic growth across the submarine industrial base.
“Today’s contract awards secure work at submarine shipyards and thousands of supply chain companies well into the late 2030s,” said Connecticut Rep. Joe Courtney, the top Democrat on the seapower and projection forces committee. “These contracts will be the driving force to stimulate growth across the submarine industrial base, and they also support our trilateral AUKUS security agreement to sell three in-service Virginia-class submarines to Australia in the 2030s.”
The contract award is a significant victory for Congress, which authorized procurement of the Block IV Virginia-class submarines in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2024. Lawmakers had expressed concerns about delays and cost overruns in the program, but the contract award provides a much-needed boost to the industry.
Recovery plans are not progressing as intended according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released earlier this month, which highlighted significant challenges facing the Virginia-class submarine program. The program developed a report to track its progress towards building submarines at a rate of two per year, but the report’s construction progress metrics indicate that the program is already underperforming its recovery plans.
Despite these challenges, the Navy remains committed to investing in the modernization of its submarine fleet. The contract award marks an important milestone in this effort, and it provides a strong foundation for future investment in the industry.
The thousands of small business manufacturers who are essential to the industrial base now have the certainty they have been asking for to make needed investments in hiring, facilities, and equipment as stated by Rep. Courtney. Congress and the Navy must now double-down on industrial base investments that are moving delivery schedules to the left.
With this contract award, the Navy is signaling its commitment to maintaining its undersea superiority, even as it faces significant challenges in the coming years. The production of new submarines will be a critical component of this effort, providing a vital component of the country’s strategic deterrence capabilities.
The Virginia-class submarine program has been plagued by delays and cost overruns in recent years, which have led to concerns about its long-term sustainability. However, with this contract award, the Navy is signaling its commitment to investing in the modernization of its submarine fleet.
This historic investment provides our shipbuilders with the demand certainty they need to continue investing in capacity and hiring the workforce necessary to ensure we deliver these important national security assets on schedule as stated by Mark Rayha, president of General Dynamics Electric Boat. We are honored to serve our customer and our country, and we look forward to working together to build the next generation of submarines that will protect our nation for decades to come.
The contract award marks an important milestone in the Navy’s efforts to maintain its undersea superiority. With this investment, the Navy is signaling its commitment to investing in the modernization of its submarine fleet, even as it faces significant challenges in the coming years.
The Virginia-class submarine program has been a cornerstone of the Navy’s nuclear triad, providing a vital component of the country’s strategic deterrence capabilities. The program has faced significant challenges in recent years, including delays and cost overruns, which have led to concerns about its long-term sustainability.
However, with this contract award, the Navy is signaling its commitment to investing in the modernization of its submarine fleet. The production of new submarines will be a critical component of this effort, providing a vital component of the country’s strategic deterrence capabilities.
The contract award provides thousands of jobs and stimulates economic growth across the submarine industrial base as stated by Rep. Courtney. It also supports the trilateral AUKUS security agreement to sell three in-service Virginia-class submarines to Australia in the 2030s.
In conclusion, the Navy’s contract award for the Block VI Virginia-class submarines and the Build II Columbia-class ballistic submarines marks an important milestone in its efforts to maintain its undersea superiority. The investment provides a strong foundation for future growth and development in the submarine industrial base, while also signaling the Navy’s commitment to investing in the modernization of its submarine fleet.
The contract award comes after months of intense lobbying by lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, who have pushed for the Navy to award the contract. Democrats and Republicans alike recognize the importance of securing the contract, which will provide thousands of jobs and stimulate economic growth across the submarine industrial base.
With this investment, the Navy is signaling its commitment to maintaining its undersea superiority, even as it faces significant challenges in the coming years. The production of new submarines will be a critical component of this effort, providing a vital component of the country’s strategic deterrence capabilities.
The contract award marks an important milestone in the Navy’s efforts to maintain its undersea superiority. It provides a strong foundation for future growth and development in the submarine industrial base, while also signaling the Navy’s commitment to investing in the modernization of its submarine fleet.
In the coming years, the Navy will need to continue to invest in the modernization of its submarine fleet as stated by Rep. Courtney. The contract award marks an important step in this effort, providing a strong foundation for future growth and development in the submarine industrial base.
The Virginia-class submarine program has been plagued by delays and cost overruns in recent years, which have led to concerns about its long-term sustainability. However, with this contract award, the Navy is signaling its commitment to investing in the modernization of its submarine fleet.
The production of new submarines will be a critical component of this effort, providing a vital component of the country’s strategic deterrence capabilities.
In conclusion, the Navy’s contract award for the Block VI Virginia-class submarines and the Build II Columbia-class ballistic submarines marks an important milestone in its efforts to maintain its undersea superiority. The investment provides a strong foundation for future growth and development in the submarine industrial base, while also signaling the Navy’s commitment to investing in the modernization of its submarine fleet.
The contract award comes after months of intense lobbying by lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, who have pushed for the Navy to award the contract. Democrats and Republicans alike recognize the importance of securing the contract, which will provide thousands of jobs and stimulate economic growth across the submarine industrial base.
With this investment, the Navy is signaling its commitment to maintaining its undersea superiority, even as it faces significant challenges in the coming years. The production of new submarines will be a critical component of this effort, providing a vital component of the country’s strategic deterrence capabilities.
The contract award marks an important milestone in the Navy’s efforts to maintain its undersea superiority. It provides a strong foundation for future growth and development in the submarine industrial base, while also signaling the Navy’s commitment to investing in the modernization of its submarine fleet.
In the coming years, the Navy will need to continue to invest in the modernization of its submarine fleet as stated by Rep. Courtney. The contract award marks an important step in this effort, providing a strong foundation for future growth and development in the submarine industrial base.
The Virginia-class submarine program has been plagued by delays and cost overruns in recent years, which have led to concerns about its long-term sustainability. However, with this contract award, the Navy is signaling its commitment to investing in the modernization of its submarine fleet.
The production of new submarines will be a critical component of this effort, providing a vital component of the country’s strategic deterrence capabilities.
In conclusion, the Navy’s contract award for the Block VI Virginia-class submarines and the Build II Columbia-class ballistic submarines marks an important milestone in its efforts to maintain its undersea superiority. The investment provides a strong foundation for future growth and development in the submarine industrial base