U.S. Nuclear Submarine Output Rises 30% as Navy Faces Delays Replacing Its Aging Ohio-Class Fleet.

The United States is accelerating construction of its Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines and Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines, with production activity increasing by 30% compared with the previous year. This comes as the U.S. Navy prepares to replace its aging strategic submarines and modernize its underwater combat capabilities amid growing tensions with China and Russia.

The bow section of the future USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826), under construction at HII Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia, before its transfer to General Dynamics Electric Boat for final assembly. (Picture source: HII)

Key Tactical Insights:

• U.S. Submarine Production: General Dynamics Electric Boat reported a 30% year-over-year increase in production output and throughput across the Columbia-class and Virginia-class nuclear submarine programs.
  
  
• Columbia-Class Delivery: The U.S. Navy's first Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine is targeted for delivery by late 2028, with each vessel designed to carry 16 Trident II D5 missiles.
  
  
• Virginia Block V Firepower: The Virginia Payload Module will increase maximum Tomahawk cruise missile capacity from 12 to 40, expanding the U.S. Navy's submerged conventional strike capabilities.

The increase in production primarily concerns General Dynamics Electric Boat, which is responsible for building the Columbia class and jointly producing Virginia-class submarines with Huntington Ingalls Industries. Both programs account for a substantial share of U.S. naval shipbuilding capacity, while delays accumulated in recent years have complicated fleet modernization and the availability of submarines assigned to operational missions.

During General Dynamics' third-quarter earnings call on October 30, 2026, company President Danny Deep confirmed that production output and throughput across the Columbia and Virginia programs had increased by 30% year over year. This improvement reflects investments in shipyard infrastructure and workforce expansion. Electric Boat has already recruited approximately 6,000 new shipbuilders and expects to reach 8,000 hires by the end of 2026.

Related News: U.S. Navy to receive first Columbia-class nuclear submarine in 2028

U.S. Shipyards Increase Nuclear Submarine Production

Electric Boat is currently managing several construction programs simultaneously. All twelve Virginia Block V submarines and the initial Columbia-class units are at different stages of production. The shipbuilder has also begun subassembly work and procurement of long-lead components for Virginia Block VI and Columbia Build II submarines, preparing for subsequent orders while maintaining existing production lines.

General Dynamics expects to deliver the first Columbia-class submarine, the future USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826), and the first Virginia equipped with the Virginia Payload Module (VPM) by the end of 2028. The final Virginia Block IV submarine is also scheduled for delivery in the coming months. These targets remain uncertain. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the two Virginia-class submarines delivered in 2025 were each more than three years behind schedule, while the first Columbia has experienced a delay of at least eighteen months compared with its original contractual timeline.

To support higher production rates, General Dynamics continues investing in automation, training, and manufacturing capacity. Its Marine Systems division reported approximately $4.9 billion in revenue during the third quarter of 2026, an increase of 21% year over year, largely driven by submarine construction programs. Integrating thousands of new employees remains a challenge, however, as nuclear-powered submarine production requires specialized skills and demanding quality control procedures.

Columbia and Virginia Classes Expand U.S. Undersea Capabilities

The Columbia class is intended to replace the fourteen Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines with twelve new vessels. Measuring approximately 171 meters in length and displacing more than 20,000 tons, each submarine will carry sixteen Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Its nuclear reactor is designed to operate throughout the vessel's service life without refueling, eliminating a lengthy midlife maintenance period and allowing more submarines to remain available for strategic deterrence patrols.

Virginia-class submarines fulfill different requirements, ranging from anti-submarine warfare and intelligence collection to conventional strikes. The Block V variant introduces the Virginia Payload Module, an additional hull section containing four vertical launch tubes capable of accommodating up to 28 additional Tomahawk cruise missiles. This modification increases the theoretical total capacity to 40 missiles, compared with 12 on earlier configurations, and expands the Navy's ability to conduct long-range strikes from submerged platforms.

Columbia-class submarines will assume the deterrence missions currently performed by the Ohio fleet, whose crews rotate to maintain a continuous nuclear presence at sea. Their design is intended to allow the U.S. Navy to sustain this mission with two fewer vessels while preserving a retaliatory capability even after an attack on American territory. Virginia Block V submarines, meanwhile, will be able to strike land-based military installations while remaining submerged, partially compensating for the retirement of the four Ohio-class submarines converted into guided-missile platforms, each capable of carrying up to 154 Tomahawk missiles.

The availability of these assets will nevertheless depend on the shipbuilding industry's ability to recover from existing delays. According to the Congressional Research Service, Virginia-class production has remained at approximately 1.1 to 1.2 submarines annually since 2022, well below the target of two vessels per year. The priority given to the Columbia program, which is essential to maintaining continuity in the U.S. nuclear deterrent, could also constrain resources available for attack submarine construction if shipyards cannot expand capacity sufficiently.

Submarine Production Becomes a U.S. Strategic Defense Priority

This acceleration addresses two requirements of U.S. defense strategy. Facing Russia and China's expanding nuclear arsenal, the Columbia class is intended to maintain the sea-based component of the American nuclear triad, alongside land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles and strategic bombers, including the future B-21 Raider. In the Indo-Pacific, Virginia Block V submarines will provide additional strike capacity against air bases, naval facilities, and other military infrastructure, particularly in a potential conflict around Taiwan. Industrial pressure also extends beyond American requirements. Under the AUKUS partnership, Washington plans to transfer three to five Virginia-class submarines to Australia beginning in the 2030s. Production rates will therefore need to support the renewal of the U.S. fleet while preparing these deliveries, without reducing the submarine forces already available to the Navy.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in Security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.

Explore More Defense News

• Land Defense News
• Naval Defense News
• Defense Aerospace News