US Navy Orders Nuclear Reactor Components for Its Fleet

The US Navy has hired Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group, Inc. to execute contracts totaling approximately $535.1 million for the manufacture of naval nuclear reactor components for submarines and aircraft carriers.

Of this work, approximately $424.6 million was issued as options under previously announced contract awards in 2010 and 2013. Approximately $110.5 million has been issued under new contracts awarded in late 2014.

The work under these contracts, which began in January 2015, is being performed at B&W NOG’s facilities in three states over the next several years.

The primary activity funded under these contracts is the manufacture of nuclear propulsion components for Virginia Class submarines and Ford Class aircraft carriers. Also included are work scopes for the disassembly and recovery of highly enriched uranium materials.

B&W has been manufacturing naval nuclear components and reactors since the 1950s, when it designed and fabricated components for the USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine.

Today, B&W NOG manufactures naval nuclear reactors for the U.S. Department of Energy / National Nuclear Security Administration’s Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, which in turn supplies them to the U.S. Navy for use in submarines and aircraft carriers. Fuel for the reactors is provided by Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc., a subsidiary of B&W NOG.

Image: US Navy