Tag Archives: SSN 814

13 for Freedom?

Posted on by Leave a comment

So we have often touched on the whole “41 for Freedom” Polaris FBM SSBNs that were cranked out during the Duck and Cover era to help win the Cold War in an amazing nine years and four months from the first keel ordered on Dec. 31, 1957, to the 41st commissioned in April 1967.

It was impressive, for sure, especially when you consider that Polaris wasn’t even on the drawing board until 1956 and Nautilus had only been commissioned in 1954!

The secret to pulling off something like that is threefold: A) the political will to stay the course, no matter what the cost, B) available shipyards and skilled tradesmen, C) block buys.

Well, we may not have the first two today, but it looks like the Navy just did a huge block buy for not only nine Virginia-class attack submarines SSN 814-822 (Block VI) along with a set of material for a 10th, but also five Columbia-class fleet ballistic missile submarines SSBN 828-832 (Build II).

Now EB, HHI, and NNS just need the space and talent (they are farming out some work, which could be good provided the standards are met and maintained) to pull it off, and we are “cooking with gas,” as they say.

The video announcements.

The contract announcement, because, wow.

General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut (N00024-12-C-2115, N00024-17-C-2100, N00024-17-C-2117); and Huntington Ingalls Inc., Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia (N00024-17-C-2100, N00024-15-C-2114, N00024-16-C-2116), are awarded incentive contract modifications for the construction of five Columbia-class fleet ballistic missile submarines SSBN 828-832 (Build II), the construction of nine Virginia-class attack submarines SSN 814-822 (Block VI), and a tenth shipset of material; and investments in shipbuilder productivity efforts. The Block VI award includes previously announced material awards (including long-lead-time material and economic ordering quantity material). The announcement also includes previously awarded investments in shipbuilder productivity efforts. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut (30%); Newport News, Virginia (22%); Quonset Point, Rhode Island (18%); Sunnyvale, California (5%); Sykesville, Maryland (1%); Goose Creek, South Carolina (1%); Chesapeake, Virginia (1%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (1%); Tucson, Arizona (1%); and other locations less than 1% (20%) and is expected to be completed by July 2038. Fiscal 2026 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $6,441,442,332 (54%); fiscal 2025 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $3,744,758,492 (32%); fiscal 2025 maritime industrial base funds in the amount of $1,266,948,874 (11%); fiscal 2026 national sea-based deterrence fund funds in the amount of $253,954,000 (2%); and fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $171,096,970 (1%), will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Submarine News

Posted on by Leave a comment

A starboard bow view of the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Boise (SSN-764) underway at high speed off the Virginia Capes during builders sea trials, 7/12/1992. Chris Oxley (OPA-NARA II-2016/02/06).

Newport News just got the go-ahead for a five-year overhaul and modernization of the long-sidelined improved Los Angeles-class (688i) class submarine USS Boise (SSN-764), which has been redlined since 2017 and has sat idle at Norfolk for the past seven years.

It had been thought by many that the boat, which had been in the fleet since 1992 (she was ordered by the Reagan Administration) and at this point would be 37 years old when she completes her overhaul, would possibly just be scrapped as the 688s are getting very long in the tooth indeed. However, as we can see, the Navy apparently got the lead out when it comes to hunter-killers last week.

The DOD Announcement:

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $1,173,178,011 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-4314 for completion of USS Boise (SSN 764) engineered overhaul. This contract modification includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract modification to $1,238,312,189. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by September 2029. Fiscal 2023 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $29,559,482 (81%); and fiscal 2024 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,948,094 (19%), will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

And finally, EB got the green light to purchase long lead time material for the as-yet-to-be-named Block V Virginia class submarines SSN 814, SSN 815, SSN 816, and SSN 817.

The Announcement:

General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a not-to-exceed $150,984,000 undefinitized contract action modification to previously awarded contract N00024-24-C-2110 for long lead time material associated with the Virginia Class submarines SSN 814, SSN 815, SSN 816, and SSN 817. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, California (36%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (17%); Spring Grove, Illinois (13%); York, Pennsylvania (4%); Annapolis, Maryland (4%); Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (3%); Windsor Locks, Connecticut (3%); Cleveland, Ohio (1%); and other locations less than 1% (19%), and is expected to be completed by September 2035. Fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $150,984,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The statutory authority for this sole source award is in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii) – Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Since you came this far and are into submarines, Netflix (yes, I know) has a doc on the lost Argentine Navy’s German-built TR-1700-class boat, ARA San Juan (S-42), which went missing in 2017 and was found at a depth of 2,976 ft a year later.