GD Electric Boat Building USN’s Top Acquisition Priority
The US Navy has awarded a contract modification valued at $313.9 million to General Dynamics Electric Boat to support submarine industrial base development and support expansion both for construction of the service’s Columbia-class fleet ballistic missile submarines and Britain’s Strategic Weapon Support System programme, the company announced on 20 May.
“Ballistic-missile submarines are the critical, survivable leg of our nation’s nuclear arsenal and Columbia is the Navy’s top acquisition priority,” commented Kevin Graney, President of General Dynamics Electric Boat. The company continue to work with its vendors and sub-contractors to optimise efforts to ramp up production capability and support the increased demand associated with the Columbia programme.
At 560ft long and displacing almost 21,000t, the Columbia class will be the largest submarines ever built by the United States. They will feature a life-of the-boat fuel core that will power the submarine for its entire service life, eliminating the need for a mid-service refueling and increasing the time available for deployment. Electric Boat will deliver the lead ship to the Navy in 2027.
