- General Dynamics received a $2.28 billion contract modification to support advance procurement and construction of Columbia-class submarine hulls SSBN 828–832.
- Work will be performed in Groton, Newport News, and Quonset Point and is scheduled to be completed by December 2031.
The United States Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $2.28 billion contract modification to support advance procurement and advance construction of additional Columbia‑class ballistic missile submarine hulls, according to a contract announcement.
The modification applies to the previously awarded contract N00024‑17‑C‑2117 and covers work for hull numbers SSBN 828–832, representing upcoming submarines in the Navy’s next‑generation sea‑based nuclear deterrent fleet. The Columbia class is intended to replace the aging Ohio‑class ballistic missile submarines and will form the core of the United States’ strategic deterrence posture for decades.
As noted in the contract notice, “This modification provides for additional advance procurement and advance construction Columbia‑class fleet ballistic missile submarine hulls (SSBN 828‑832), and to support additional program execution in accordance with DFARS 252.232‑7998 – Obligations in Advance of Fiscal Year 2026 Funding.”
Work under the contract will be carried out at three primary locations: Groton, Connecticut (70%); Newport News, Virginia (15%); and Quonset Point, Rhode Island (15%). The Navy expects all work to be completed by December 2031.
No funding will be obligated at the time of award. According to the announcement, funding will be obligated once appropriated, using:
- Fiscal 2026 National Sea‑Based Deterrence Fund — $2,229,067,000 (98%)
- Fiscal 2026 Navy Other Procurement — $54,224,317 (2%)
These funds “will be obligated at the time made available and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year,” the notice states. The contract activity is being managed by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Washington, D.C.
The Columbia class remains the Navy’s top acquisition priority. Designed for a 42‑year service life with quiet electric drive and a life-of-the-ship reactor that never requires refueling, the submarines provide continuous at‑sea deterrent patrols. Each vessel will carry the Trident II D5 missile and features modern stealth and acoustic technologies intended to reduce detectability.
General Dynamics Electric Boat, the lead shipbuilder on the program, is responsible for the design, engineering, and construction of the class. Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding division serves as the major subcontractor.
The contract modification follows a series of prior awards intended to pre‑stage materials, streamline production lines, and stabilize the industrial base supporting ballistic missile submarine construction. Columbia‑class work is distributed across thousands of suppliers in more than 40 states.
The Navy has repeatedly emphasized that maintaining the Columbia program schedule is essential to avoiding a gap in the U.S. sea‑based nuclear deterrence force, as the Ohio‑class submarines reach end-of-life in the 2030s.