Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Babcock International Group signed a contract on December 9, 2025, to expand their partnership for Virginia-class submarine construction at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division. This marks the first outsourced Virginia-class contract to a UK firm for NNS-specific work, authorizing Babcock to produce complex assemblies at its Rosyth, Scotland, facility for Block VI fast-attack submarines.
The deal aims to boost supplier capacity for large structural work while maintaining quality standards, strengthening HII’s submarine supply base. HII President and CEO Chris Kastner stated the move reinforces US submarine production and supports the AUKUS trilateral partnership between the US, UK, and Australia.
Strategic Background
HII and Babcock first agreed in July 2023 to collaborate on naval and civil nuclear projects across the US and UK. Their joint efforts have since extended to the Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification program, qualifying suppliers for US and UK submarine bases, including Astute-class submarines.
Earlier in 2025, at the Defence and Security Equipment International event, the companies signed a memorandum integrating HII’s REMUS unmanned underwater vehicles with Babcock’s submarine weapon handling systems for torpedo tube launch capabilities.
Impact on Virginia-Class Submarine Construction
Virginia-class submarines form a core of the US Navy’s undersea fleet, with Block VI representing the latest fast-attack variant. Outsourcing to Babcock addresses production bottlenecks by expanding skilled suppliers for intricate assemblies.
The partnership enhances transatlantic industrial ties, vital for AUKUS goals of shared submarine technology and supply chains. It builds resilience amid rising demand for submarine throughput at NNS in Virginia.
This development aligns with ongoing Virginia-class milestones, such as the recent keel-laying of the USS Barb (SSN-804).
Image Credit – hii.com
