Fairbanks Morse Defence (FMD) has secured a $99.09m contract from the US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to provide overhaul and life extension services for emergency diesel generators on six US Navy nuclear submarines.
The deal, awarded as a sole-source follow-on contract, forms part of the US Navy’s efforts to maintain the availability of its attack (SSN) and ballistic missile (SSBN) submarines into the next decade.
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FMD’s work will cover the provision of parts, labour, and repairs through 2030 as part of a broader strategy to extend the service lives of Ohio- and Los Angeles-class submarines.
The company plans to use its robotic welding platform to carry out the work, stating that this approach can decrease manual welding times by as much as two-thirds.
Additionally, FMD aims to reduce depot maintenance durations from several months to a matter of weeks by introducing the Pit Stop methodology, a process it developed jointly with the US Navy and modelled after approaches used in motorsports such as NASCAR and Formula One.
This method addresses delays associated with inspection procedures by preparing necessary original equipment parts in advance, enabling an ongoing cycle of component refurbishment.
FMD services and technology president Keith Haasl said: “This contract is part of the ongoing investment in undersea power projection that we have seen not only from the United States and our friends in Europe, Australia and Canada, but also from Russia and China, who are actively growing and modernising their submarine fleets.
“Because the timely delivery of critical components dictates fleet availability, we are moving quickly to scale our capabilities. Our work with the Navy actively demonstrates principles of rapid submarine maintenance and overhaul that we can share with allies, so we can ensure operationally ready submarines faster.”
The new contract forms part of the US Navy’s broader effort to maintain its submarine-based deterrence in response to the capabilities of other major powers.
The work supports a Navy strategy to potentially extend the operational lifespan of Ohio- and Los Angeles-class submarines by up to 14 years through collaboration with original equipment manufacturers on essential system overhauls.
FMD, a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management, previously overhauled emergency diesel generators on two Ohio-class and one Los Angeles-class submarine under an earlier NAVSEA contract.
The announcement comes as FMD broke ground on a $60m expansion at the Pascagoula, Mississippi, site of its subsidiary, Bird-Johnson Propeller, aimed at increasing production capacity for naval propulsion systems.
