The Department of War awarded a contract modification to General Dynamics Electric Boat for the construction of five Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines on July 29. The Columbia class is designed to replace the aging Ohio-class fleet, which has carried the nation’s submarine-launched ballistic missiles since the 1980s.
The contract was accompanied by a simultaneous award for Virginia-class attack submarines, representing combined defense procurement of historic scale, the Department of War said.
The five-hull award is one of the largest single defense procurement actions in recent memory and commits the nation to a generational investment in sea-based nuclear deterrence. The Columbia-class program is the Defense Department’s top acquisition priority, with each submarine expected to serve for more than 40 years.
For American taxpayers, the contract represents a multi-decade financial commitment. The Columbia-class program’s total cost has been estimated in the range of $130 billion for a planned fleet of 12 submarines. The five-hull contract modification signals confidence in the program’s production timeline but also locks in spending that will shape defense budgets for years to come.
The submarines will be built at Electric Boat’s facilities in Groton, Connecticut, and Quonset Point, Rhode Island, supporting thousands of shipyard workers and an extensive supplier network across multiple states. The Navy has identified submarine industrial base capacity as a critical constraint that requires sustained investment.
Each Columbia-class submarine will carry 16 Trident II D5 ballistic missiles equipped with nuclear warheads, providing the most survivable leg of the U.S. nuclear triad. The sea-based deterrent is considered the most secure component of the nuclear arsenal because submarines can remain undetected beneath the ocean for months at a time.
The first Columbia-class boat, USS District of Columbia, is under construction and scheduled for delivery later this decade.