Overview
- The contract expands the HII–Babcock partnership to boost Virginia-class production throughput at Newport News Shipbuilding.
- Babcock will fabricate complex structural assemblies for Block VI submarines at its Rosyth facility in Scotland.
- HII says the move broadens the pool of qualified large-structure suppliers to strengthen resiliency across the submarine industrial base.
- The announcement aligns with AUKUS objectives following a Pentagon review that endorsed deeper trilateral cooperation, including U.S. sales of at least three Virginia boats to Australia.
- The production step builds on a 2023 strategic agreement and joint efforts such as the AUSSQ program and a DSEI MoU on UUV torpedo-tube launch and recovery.