Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) awarded General Dynamics’ [GD] Electric Boat (GDEB) a $2 billion contract modification on Monday for additional material for fiscal year (FY) 2019 – 2023 Virginia-class submarines.

The announcement said this was a contract for additional material, including long-lead time material and economic ordering quantity related to SSNs 802 – 811.

The future USS Indiana (SSN-789), a Virginia-class submarine, is launched into the James River and moved to a submarine pier for final outfitting, testing, and certification. (Photo: Huntington Ingalls Industries)

NAVSEA spokesman Bill Couch told Defense Daily the contract more specifically provides material in support of building SSN-802 – 811. The Navy anticipates this contract will be combined with the Virginia-class Block V ship construction contract, set to be awarded later in FY ’19.

Work will be performed throughout the U.S. and has no expected completion date.

The funds come from FY ’19 and ’18 shipbuilding and conversion accounts and will not expire at the end of this fiscal year.

GDEB said this award modifies a 2017 contract funding long lead time material for steam and electrical plant components, main propulsion  unit and ship service turbine generator efforts, and miscellaneous components. This modification raises the total contract value to about $3.2 billion.

“This award allows Electric Boat and the submarine industrial base to continue to make preparations for construction of Block V, which will bring additional payload capacity to the Navy,” GDEB president Jeffrey Geiger, said in a statement.

In June, a similar modification awarded GDEB $225 million economic ordering quantity material associated with the same vessels.

Before that, in March 2018 the Navy awarded GDEB a $696 million modification for more long-lead time materials associated with SSNs 802 – 805. That covered long-lead time material for steam and electric plant components; main propulsion unit efforts; and miscellaneous hull, mechanical and electric system (HM&E) components (Defense Daily, March 13, 2018).