Miles Jamison
BAE Systems has been awarded a $70 million contract by General Dynamics’ Electric Boat subsidiary for the procurement of missile tubes for the U.S. Navy’s Virginia-class submarines.
The defense contractor said Wednesday it will manufacture Virginia Payload Module, or VPM, missile tubes for future Block VI Virginia-class submarines.
Boosting Submarine Firepower
The VPM missile tubes boost the submarine fleet’s firepower and payload capacity. These advanced structures enable submarines to launch as many as seven Tomahawk missiles or future advanced munitions.
The missile tubes are manufactured at the BAE Systems facility in Louisville, Kentucky, where the Virginia-class submarine’s propulsor is built. The company is also producing the heavy propulsor structure for the Columbia-class submarine at the facility.
“These missile tubes deliver critical firepower to the Virginia-class submarine fleet, a cornerstone to U.S. national security,” said Charles Lewis, director of submarine programs for platforms and services at BAE Systems. “Continuing to manufacture VPMs at our Louisville, Kentucky, facility maintains our strong support to the industrial base while also ensuring sailors receive the capability they need to protect our country,” he added.
In 2016, BAE Systems was contracted by General Dynamics to produce payload module tubes for the Block V Virginia-class submarines.
