HII and Babcock International Group have signed a significant new contract to deepen their strategic partnership, directly supporting increased production throughput for Virginia-class submarines at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. The agreement also aims to build greater resiliency within the critical submarine industrial supply base.
This contract marks a key evolution in their collaboration, authorizing Babcock to construct complex submarine assemblies for Virginia-class Block VI fast-attack submarines at its facility in Rosyth, Scotland. It represents the first Virginia-class outsourced contract for NNS-specific work awarded to the U.K.-based defense company. By leveraging Babcock’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, the partnership will effectively expand the pool of qualified suppliers capable of executing large-scale, high-quality submarine structures, addressing a key need in the industrial base.
“The expansion of the partnership with Babcock will increase the number of suppliers that can perform large structure work with requisite quality,” the companies stated. This move is seen as vital for meeting the demanding production schedules for the U.S. Navy’s submarine fleet.
Chris Kastner, HII’s president and CEO, framed the partnership as a strategic advantage for both nations. “This is a significant next step in delivering on our joint commitment to enhance both organizations’ capabilities, for the benefit of U.S. and U.K. programs,” Kastner said. “Leveraging Babcock’s reach and expertise in the U.K. will reinforce our supplier base, strengthen submarine production in the U.S., and support the trilateral AUKUS partnership.”
The new contract builds upon a strategic agreement the companies signed in July 2023 to collaborate on naval and civil nuclear opportunities. Since then, their joint work has extended across the U.S., U.K., and Australia. This includes involvement in the Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification (AUSSQ) program, which aims to integrate Australian suppliers into the U.S. submarine supply chain, with future plans to include the U.K.’s Astute-class program.
Furthermore, the alliance extends beyond construction. At the recent Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition, Babcock and HII signed a memorandum of understanding to integrate HII’s REMUS unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) with Babcock’s Weapon Handling and Launch Systems. This collaboration focuses on enabling torpedo tube launch and recovery of UUVs, aiming to enhance undersea capabilities for the Royal Navy and allied forces.
The strengthened HII-Babcock partnership underscores a growing trend of international industrial collaboration, directly supporting national security objectives and the shared goals of the AUKUS alliance by strengthening the submarine industrial bases on both sides of the Atlantic.
