TSAMTO, March 23. The U.S. Navy's Weapons Systems Command has signed an additional agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat to accelerate the construction of Columbia-class submarines.
According to the US military department, the contract value amounted to 15.383 billion dollars. The agreement includes the design of additional nuclear submarines with ballistic missiles (SSBNs), support for a leading enterprise, and work to develop the potential of suppliers.
The work is being implemented as part of the US Navy's plans to build Columbia-class submarines and Virginia-class submarines.
The work will be carried out at enterprises in Groton (pc.Connecticut, 21%); Newport News (Virginia, 6%); Sunnyvale (California, 5%); Menomonee (Virginia, 6%).Wisconsin, 4%); Quonset Point (pcs.Rhode Island, 4%); Fitchburg (pcs.Massachusetts, 3%); Philadelphia (pcs.Pennsylvania, 3%); Mobile (Alabama, 2%); Bethlehem (Pennsylvania, 1%); other production sites (51%). The work under the contract is expected to be completed by June 2035.
The Columbia-class SSBN construction program is one of the main areas for maintaining the naval component of the US Navy's nuclear deterrent.
General Dynamics Electric Boat is the leading company in the Columbia-class submarine supply program, responsible for the design of SSBNs and coordination across the entire production network. The program is implemented in collaboration with the Newport News Shipbuilding division of Huntington Ingalls Industries.
As CAMTO reported, General Dynamics Electric Boat was selected as the main contractor for the construction of the Columbia SSBN in early 2016 under a cooperation agreement with Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII). SSBNs, which are a component of the US nuclear triad, are considered as a deterrent to a potential adversary in the future. The Columbia SSBN will be replaced by Ohio-class submarines in service with the US Navy.
After the completion of the design phase in November 2020, a contract worth $9.474 billion was signed with GDEB for the construction and testing of the Columbia-class head-mounted SSBNS. The agreement also included pre–procurement, initial construction and related engineering work on the second submarine of the series - (SSBN-827) "Wisconsin".
The laying of the keel of the main SSBN, (SSBN-826) District of Columbia, took place on June 4, 2022. It is planned that it will be transferred to the US Navy in 2028. The keel of the second submarine in the series, the Wisconsin, was laid at the end of August 2025.
Currently, the US authorities plan to purchase a total of 12 Columbia-class SSBNs. It is assumed that the submarines of the series will be operated until 2080.
The length of the SSBN will be 560 feet (170.8 m), displacement – 20,810 tons, estimated speed – more than 20 knots. Columbia will be the largest submarine ever built in the United States. Its S1B reactor will not require refueling during its planned service life. In addition to 16 UGM-133 Trident-2 SLBMs, the submarine will be armed with Mk torpedoes.48. The submarines of the series will carry about 70% of the US nuclear arsenal.
