HII outsources Virginia-class assembly construction work to Babcock International Group

HII has signed a contract with Babcock International Group to build assemblies for Virginia-class submarines, like the one shown here under construction at HII's Newport News Shipbuilding. (Janes/Michael Fabey)

Facing an increasing need for greater submarine-construction capacity, HII signed a contract with Babcock International Group for the construction of Virginia-class fast-attack submarine assemblies, HII confirmed on 9 December in a release.

The contract authorises Babcock International Group to build complex submarine assemblies at the company's Rosyth facility in Scotland for Block VI Virginias, HII said.

The contract will further support Virginia-class submarine construction throughput at HII's Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division and help build resiliency within HII's submarine supply base, the company said, adding this is the first Virginia-class outsourced contract to Babcock International Group in support of NNS-specific submarine work.

“Leveraging Babcock's reach and expertise in the UK will reinforce our supplier base, strengthen submarine production in the US, and support the trilateral AUKUS [Australia-UK-US] partnership,” Chris Kastner, HII president and CEO, said in the release.

The outsourcing agreement comes as the US Navy (USN) and industry face submarine-production hurdles to meet AUKUS commitments coupled with USN requirements for Virginias and its Columbia-class strategic missile submarines (SSBNs) slated to replace the ageing Ohio-class SSBN fleet.

For more information about US submarine-building rate production issues, please see Special Report: US Navy faces challenges as submarine production ramps up .

The Columbia-class submarine shipbuilding rate is set to quadruple, noted the Congressional Research Service (CRS) in its report, Navy Columbia (SSBN-826) Class Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress, released on 25 September.

“During the period FY (fiscal year) 2021–FY 2025, the Columbia-class procurement rate was 0.4 boats per year,” the CRS reported.