Austal USA has been awarded the first contract for the Columbia-class nuclear-powered submarine programme with Trident II intercontinental ballistic missiles with a range of more than 12,000km

Austal USA has entered into an agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat as part of its Columbia-class nuclear submarine programme. The company announced this on its official website.

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The order is for the manufacture of the Command and Control Systems Module (CCSM) for the third Columbia-class nuclear submarine. According to Austal USA, this contract demonstrates a significant expansion of the company's capabilities that it can offer to the industrial base.

The order, placed by prime contractor General Dynamics Electric Boat, will be valued at up to $12.8 million, with work under the contract to begin in 2024 and be completed in 2027. The fabrication of the CCSM is the result of a strategic partnership between the companies, which was established in 2022 with the support of the US Navy. Austal USA is also supplying CCSM and Electronic Deck Modules (EDMs) for the Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines.

The Columbia submarines will be the replacement for the Ohio class and will be armed with Trident II (D5) intercontinental ballistic missiles. This will allow them to strike at a range of more than 12,000 kilometres, but with the maximum number of nuclear warheads, the range is just over 7,000 kilometres.

The US Navy has ordered two Columbia-class submarines: the District of Columbia (SSBN 826) and the Wisconsin (SSBN 827). The former is already under construction. The contract with Austal USA is for the third nuclear-powered submarine (SSBN 828). Its name has not been chosen yet.

Source: Austal USA