Navy awards $76.6 billion for Virginia, Columbia-class submarines
Here's what's trending across the USA right now:
Jul 30, 2026, 07:19 PM The Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Colorado at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Sept. 25, 2025. (Mike Wilson/U.S. Navy) The U.S. Navy opened up that it is awarding contracts for another round of ballistic missile and fast-attack submarines.
Adding to this, The Defense Department is granting a collective $76.6 billion to General Dynamics Electric Boat for five Columbia-class submarines and to both General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding for nine Virginia-class submarines to be built in the coming years.
Meanwhile, “This historic investment underscores the department’s continued commitment to undersea superiority and the recapitalization of our nuclear triad,” shared Vice Adm. Robert Gaucher, director of submarine programs. “By securing the continuous production of both the Columbia and Virginia classes, we ensure we will continue to deliver the world’s most lethal, survivable and resilient combat platform.”
Notably, The contract includes $29.5 billion for Columbia-class Build II submarines, $42.1 billion for Virginia-class Block VI submarines and $5 billion for investments in nuclear shipbuilding programs and shipbuilding infrastructure for both shipbuilders.
As per the latest buzz, The Navy currently has seven Columbia-class submarines under contract, 26 active Virginia-class submarines and 23 more Virginia-class submarines in the pipeline for future construction, the service shared.
In further updates, The Navy has made its newest submarine class a top priority over the last several years.
On top of that, The Columbia-class has big shoes to fill: the ships are being built to replace Ohio-class submarines as they phase out of service.
The latter continues to play a big part in underwater military operations. An Ohio-class submarine participated in military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities during Operation Midnight Hammer on June 22, 2025.
Source: Defense News