General Dynamics Electric Boat has secured a contract modification worth up to $2.3 billion from the US Navy for work related to Virginia-class Block VI submarines.
The undefinitized contract action supports advance procurement activities, including long-lead material acquisition and initial manufacturing efforts ahead of formal construction.
Program work will take place at multiple facilities across the United States, including sites in Sunnyvale, California; Chesapeake, Virginia; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. The effort is scheduled to continue through September 2035.
Backbone of US Undersea Warfare
The Virginia-class program forms the foundation of the US Navy’s fast attack submarine fleet, replacing aging Los Angeles-class boats and preserving the Navy’s undersea warfare advantage for decades to come.
Built as multi-role submarines, the vessels are capable of conducting anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship operations, intelligence and reconnaissance missions, and special operations support.
General Dynamics Electric Boat leads the program in partnership with Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding, with both shipyards alternating construction responsibilities to sustain continuous production.
Next-Generation Block VI Features
The Block VI variant introduces a series of upgrades aimed at improving stealth, survivability, sonar performance, propulsion efficiency, and seabed warfare operations.
It also incorporates the Virginia Payload Module, which significantly increases onboard weapons capacity. The module was first introduced aboard the future USS Arizona (SSN 803), the second submarine in the Block V series.
