Baghdad: The US Navy has unveiled plans to commission the construction of 14 nuclear submarines at an estimated cost of $76.6 billion. General Dynamics announced that the contracts for this substantial project have been released, marking a significant step in the expansion of the Navy's capabilities.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, General Dynamics disclosed that its subsidiary, GE Dynamics Electric Boat, has been awarded contracts totaling $29.5 billion for the construction of five Columbia-class submarines. Additionally, contracts worth $42.1 billion have been allocated for the construction of nine Virginia-class submarines. The allocated funds also include provisions for supporting shipyard infrastructure.

GE Dynamics Electric Boat has been designated as the prime contractor for the project. Newport News Shipbuilding, which is a subsidiary of Huntington Ingalls Industries, will be responsible for executing a portion of the construction work. As per the US Navy budget documents, the initial Virginia Block 6 submarine is projected to be completed by April 2035, with subsequent submarines slated for delivery every four to five months.

The US shipyards have been facing challenges in adhering to the planned schedules, as evidenced by the production pace as of June 2025. The yards have been producing approximately one Virginia-class submarine annually, falling short of the Navy's expectation of two per year. This has resulted in the construction of previous Block 5 submarines being delayed by over three years.