The US Navy has awarded a $346.5 million contract modification to General Dynamics Electric Boat to provide research and development and lead-yard services for Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines.

Under the contract modification, Electric Boat will undertake development studies and other work related to Virginia-class submarine design improvements.

Additionally, Electric Boat will perform research and development work required to evaluate new technologies to be inserted in newly built Virginia-class ships, including the Virginia Payload Module.

Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, Newport News, Virginia and at other various sites throughout the US, and is expected to be completed by September 2019.

Initially awarded in 2016, the contract has a potential value of $1.3 billion through September 2019.

This work will engage Electric Boat’s engineering and design organization.

The US Navy’s Virginia-class submarines will replace Los Angeles-class submarines as they retire. The next-generation attack submarine, the Virginia (SSN 774) class has several innovations that significantly enhance its warfighting capabilities with an emphasis on littoral operations.