Defense company BAE Systems has received a contract award for the production of Virginia payload (VPM) missile tubes for Block VI Virginia-class submarines.
As disclosed, the contract, valued at $70 million, was signed with US company General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB).
VPM tubes are expected to add significant firepower and payload capacity to the Virginia-class submarine due to their ability to launch up to seven Tomahawks or future missile variants.
These complex structures are built at the Louisville facility.
“These missile tubes deliver critical firepower to the Virginia-class submarine fleet, a cornerstone to U.S. national security,” said Charles Lewis , director of Submarine Programs for Platforms & Services at BAE Systems.
“Continuing to manufacture VPMs at our Louisville, Kentucky, facility maintains our strong support to the industrial base, while also ensuring Sailors receive the capability they need to protect our country.”
The announcement follows GDEB’s $1 billion undefinitized contract modification from the U.S. Department of Defense, allowing the company to purchase long lead time materials for Virginia Class Block VI submarines.
General Dynamics Electric Boat is the prime contractor and lead design yard for this class of submarines and is said to construct them in a teaming arrangement with HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia.
To date, 23 Virginia class have been commissioned, replacing Los Angeles class submarines as they retire. The Virginia class has several innovations that significantly enhance its warfighting capabilities, including in littoral — or coastal — operations. The class has special features to support SOF, including a reconfigurable torpedo room which can accommodate a large number of SOF personnel and all their equipment for prolonged deployments, as well as future off-board payloads.
As part of the Virginia-class’ third, or Block III, contract, the US Navy redesigned approximately 20 percent of the vessels to reduce their acquisition costs.