Vermont SSN 774 Block IV nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarine (Image for reference: Wikipedia)

General Dynamics has won $2 billion modification contract for additional material (to include Long Lead Time Material and Economic Ordering Quantity) associated with the Fiscal 2019 – Fiscal 2023 Virginia class submarines (SSNs 802 – 811).

The Naval Sea Systems Command awarded the contract, the US department of defense said in a statement Monday.

The SSNs 802 -811 Virginia class submarine hull numbers have not been named yet. In February 2017, General Dynamics won an initial $126.5 million contract by the US Navy for long lead time material for the first two Block V Virginia-class submarines, SSN-802 and SSN-803.

The Block V submarines built from 2019 onward will have an additional Virginia Payload Module (VPM) mid-body section, increasing their overall length. The VPM will add four more VPTs of the same diameter and greater height, located on the centerline, carrying up to seven Tomahawk missiles apiece, that would replace some of the capabilities lost when the SSGN conversion Ohio-class submarines are retired from the fleet.

Initially eight payload tubes/silos were planned but this was later rejected in favour of 4 tubes installed in a 70-foot long module between the operations compartment and the propulsion spaces.