Electric Boat Secures Historic U.S. Navy Contract to Expand Submarine Production

General Dynamics Electric Boat has been awarded contract modifications as part of the U.S. Navy's $76.6 billion shipbuilding contract for 14 additional Columbia- and Virginia-class submarines, along with investments in shipyard infrastructure. The award reinforces Connecticut's central role in the nation's defense industrial base.

As part of one of the largest submarine contracts in United States history, Electric Boat will receive $29.5 billion for five additional Columbia-class submarines and $42.1 billion to support the construction of nine additional Virginia-class submarines, which are built in partnership with Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding. As Electric Boat's longtime construction partner on the Virginia-class program, Newport News Shipbuilding will continue supporting production across the nation's two nuclear-capable shipyards.

"These important contract modifications provide Electric Boat and our suppliers with the demand certainty we need to continue investing in capacity and hiring the workforce necessary to ensure we deliver these important national security assets on schedule," said Electric Boat President Mark Rayha.

Beyond Electric Boat’s operations in Groton, this historic award will have a far-reaching impact on the hundreds of manufacturers that make up the submarine supply chain throughout Connecticut and across the nation. From precision-machined components and fabricated metals to electronics, castings, forgings, machinery, and specialized manufacturing services, these suppliers play a critical role in submarine construction.

The long-term contracts provide the stability manufacturers need to confidently invest in equipment, expand production capacity, recruit and train skilled workers, and strengthen supplier partnerships—ensuring the industrial base is prepared to meet the Navy's growing demand for submarine production. The increased demand also supports Electric Boat's continued workforce expansion. Earlier this year, the company announced plans to hire approximately 8,000 employees in 2026, bringing its workforce to the highest level in the company's more than 100-year history.

"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 to our global Combatant Commanders, while providing long-term stability to our shipbuilding industrial base," said the Navy’s Director of Submarine Programs Vice Admiral Robert Gaucher.

Electric Boat is one of the nation's leading designers and builders of nuclear submarines for the U.S. Navy, responsible for designing, constructing, repairing, and modernizing the fleet. Based in Groton, the company employs more than 27,000 people and serves as one of the state's largest manufacturing employers.

This investment underscores the federal government's continued commitment to maintaining and expanding the U.S. submarine fleet while strengthening the industrial base that makes that mission possible. For manufacturers throughout Connecticut and the region the announcement represents continued opportunities to contribute to one of the country's most critical national security programs through production, innovation, workforce development, and supply chain collaboration.



Reinforcing that commitment, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael P. Duffey described the contracts as part of a broader effort to strengthen American manufacturing, saying, "This is how we rebuild the industrial base together."