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BAE Systems has secured a $70 million contract to manufacture missile tubes for the U.S. Navy’s Block VI Virginia-class submarines, significantly enhancing the firepower of the fleet. These missile tubes, a key component of the submarine’s vertical payload system, will enable the submarines to launch up to seven Tomahawk missiles or future missile variants, bolstering their strike capabilities.
The Virginia-class submarines, which are produced by a collaboration between General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding, already feature 12 vertical missile launch tubes and four torpedo tubes. With a submerged displacement of 7,300 tons, the submarines measure 115 meters in length and 10 meters in beam. The Block VI upgrades will add advanced missile-launching capabilities to these already formidable vessels.
The submarines are equipped with cutting-edge systems that allow them to seek and destroy enemy vessels, conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, and engage in mine warfare. Their versatility extends to supporting battle group operations and providing essential capabilities for Special Operations Forces (SOF).
According to the press release, the manufacturing of these missile tubes will take place at BAE Systems’ Louisville, Kentucky facility, where skilled workers also produce other critical submarine components, including the propulsor for the Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines. This facility’s capacity to produce high-quality submarine structures is integral to the ongoing support of the U.S. Navy’s fleet.
In addition to their missile-launching abilities, the Virginia-class submarines incorporate several additional capabilities, including a reconfigurable torpedo room to support Special Operation Forces personnel, and the Large Aperture Bow array, which replaces the traditional sonar sphere, enhancing passive detection and reducing lifecycle costs.
These advancements ensure that the Virginia-class remains at the cutting edge of naval warfare technology, capable of adapting rapidly to new threats through modular construction and continuous system upgrades.
