The US Navy has issued a $15.38-billion contract modification to General Dynamics Electric Boat to support and accelerate development of the Columbia-class submarine program.
As the Navy’s highest-priority acquisition, the 12 planned Columbia-class submarines are intended to replace the aging Ohio-class submarines in the 2030s, maintaining the effectiveness of the US nuclear deterrent.
The funding package covers continued design, sustainment, and shipyard support, while also reinforcing the submarine industrial base and enhancing coordination across the program. It also includes supply chain investments that will support both the Columbia-class fleet and the Virginia-class submarines.
Program work is being carried out across several US sites, notably in Groton, Newport News, and Sunnyvale.
General Dynamics previously secured a $9.5-billion contract in 2020 to begin building the first two submarines—USS District of Columbia and USS Wisconsin—with an initial delivery target of 2027. However, supply chain disruptions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with technical and construction challenges, led to schedule concerns highlighted in 2024.
In early 2026, the Navy updated the timeline, projecting delivery of the lead submarine in 2028, full production by 2031, and completion of the second vessel later in the decade.
The Columbia-class features advanced stealth technologies, including noise-reducing hull design, acoustic treatments, and isolated internal machinery. Each submarine measures approximately 560 feet, can exceed 20 knots in speed, and operate at depths beyond 800 feet. The vessels are armed with 16 Trident II D5 missile systems, also deployed on Ohio-class and the UK’s Vanguard-class submarines.
