Delivery of US attack submarines delayed until 2038

The delivery of nine next-generation Block VI Virginia-class attack submarines for the US Navy, reportedly to be built by General Dynamics, will not begin until April 2035 and will run through to July 2038. Consequently, the US military must endure a 127-month construction period for a single vessel amid shipyard construction delays, according to an analysis of the Navy’s fiscal year 2027 budget report by a RIA Novosti correspondent. The long-term deal for the nine Block VI submarines was reportedly approved after Pentagon acquisition chief Michael Duffey stated in a 29 June letter to the US Congress that the contract met legal standards and could save approximately $2.4 billion (around Rp43.41 trillion). However, construction problems persist on the previous generation of submarine orders, Block V, which is currently running nearly three years behind its original schedule. While US defence officials work to finalise the massive contract, internal Navy budget estimates indicate the construction timeline for the upcoming Block VI submarines ranges from over 8 to 10 years. As a result, the final delivery of the Block VI submarines is predicted for July 2038. According to the US Navy’s schedule for the nine Block VI submarines, specifically hull codes SSN 814 and SSN 822, construction of the first submarine will begin in September 2026, whereas the contract originally anticipated a May 2026 start. Construction of that submarine is expected to take 107 months, meaning the first unit will be handed over in April 2035. Delivery of the remaining eight vessels is scheduled at intervals of four to five months until July 2038. The active construction duration, calculated from fabrication to fleet delivery, is estimated to last between 94 and 102 months per hull. However, the Navy budget appendix explicitly states that these delivery dates reflect preliminary estimates for platforms not yet formally under contract and remain subject to adjustment during final contract negotiations. The delay in the Block VI delivery schedule reflects a continuing backlog at the General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding yards. Both facilities are reportedly still completing Virginia-class submarines, causing a nearly three-year delay in the delivery of the simpler Block V boats.