General Dynamics (GD) Electric Boat has awarded a new contract to BWX Technologies’ (BWXT) subsidiary BWXT Nuclear Operations to develop additional common missile compartment (CMC) tube assemblies for the US Navy's future Columbia-class nuclear submarines.
This latest Block II award is valued at approximately $76.2m, and is the third contract received by BWXT from GD for the manufacture of CMC missile tubes.
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BWXT secured the previous two Block I awards in November 2014 and March 2016. It is estimated that almost half of the available CMC tube assembly work has now been given to the company following the new deal.
BWXT president and chief executive officer Rex D. Geveden said: “BWXT has made great progress in the manufacture of the Block I CMC missile tubes, and we look forward to getting started on this Block II award.
“The missile tube work leverages our capabilities in high consequence manufacturing and is a key component of our plans for organic growth.”
Work on the project is expected to be completed in 2021 and will be carried out at BWXT’s manufacturing facility in Mount Vernon, Indiana, US.
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By GlobalDataThe three contracts have collectively enabled the company to offer 120 additional jobs and renovate its 180,000ft2 production facility, which is located at the Mount Vernon site.
In addition to the US Navy’s Columbia-class submarines, the missile tubes will also be used on the UK Royal Navy’s future Dreadnought-class nuclear submarines.
CMC missile tubes weigh just over 50t and feature a height roughly equal to that of a four-storey office building.
