BAE to build VPM missile tubes for Virginia-class subs
BAE Systems has received a $70 million contract from General Dynamics Electric Boat to produce Virginia Payload Module (VPM) missile tubes for the U.S. Navy’s next-generation Block VI Virginia-class submarines.
In a statement, Charles Lewis, director of Submarine Programs for Platforms & Services at BAE Systems, said, “These missile tubes deliver critical firepower to the Virginia-class submarine fleet, a cornerstone to U.S. national security. Continuing to manufacture VPMs at our Louisville, Kentucky, facility maintains our strong support to the industrial base, while also ensuring Sailors receive the capability they need to protect our country.”
The Virginia Payload Module enhances the firepower and mission flexibility of the Virginia-class attack submarines by allowing each boat to carry up to seven Tomahawk cruise missiles or future missile variants in each VPM tube. The expanded payload capability is viewed as a key upgrade in maintaining undersea strike capacity as the Navy prepares for evolving maritime threats.
The missile tubes will be built at BAE Systems’ Louisville facility, which also manufactures the main propulsors for Virginia-class submarines and the heavy propulsor structures for the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program. The company says it has both the experience and capacity to take on additional work supporting undersea warfare platforms.
The contract award supports ongoing Navy efforts to modernize and expand the reach of its fast-attack submarine fleet. The Virginia-class, built by General Dynamics Electric Boat and HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding, has become the backbone of U.S. undersea operations, with increasing focus on expanded strike capabilities, intelligence gathering, and long-duration missions in contested waters.
The Block VI variant, currently in development, will incorporate advanced acoustic superiority features, improved command systems, and the VPM module, making it one of the most lethal and versatile submarines in the fleet.