Curtiss-Wright Awarded $66 Million Contract for Virginia-Class Submarine Program

PARSIPPANY, N.J. | Curtiss-Wright Corporation on Friday announced that it has been awarded a contract, that when fully funded, is expected to be in excess of $66 million to provide valves that meet the demanding needs for the next six U.S. Navy Virginia-Class submarine nuclear propulsion systems. The award from Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. (BPMI) is for an initial two ship-sets, with options for another four ship-sets to be funded at two ship-sets per year in 2012 and 2013. Curtiss-Wright's Flow Control segment will perform the work at its facility in East Farmingdale, NY. Delivery of these components is scheduled for the 2012 through 2018 timeframe.

"We are very pleased to have been awarded this important naval defense contract," said Curtiss-Wright Chairman and CEO Martin R. Benante. "Our continuous improvement programs and innovation resulted in us achieving the cost reduction goals that supported the production increase of Virginia-Class submarines from one sub to two subs per year. Since the inception of nuclear powered ships, our commitment to providing advanced, reliable technologies and our strategic investment in innovative technologies has ensured our continued participation in this defense program."

For over 50 years, Curtiss-Wright has supplied technologically advanced products and services to the U.S. Navy, particularly for nuclear propulsion systems. Curtiss-Wright's innovative, high-performance products can be found aboard nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers owned by the U.S. Navy, ensuring safe, reliable operations. In addition, the company's technology advances, including more power-dense motors and enhanced valve designs, enable more efficient operations, increasing safety and reducing manpower and overall cost.

General Dynamics Awarded $60 Million to Produce More Affordable Virginia-Class Submarines

General Dynamics Electric Boat has been awarded a $60 million U.S. Navy contract modification that funds continued design efforts to make Virginia-class submarines more affordable. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics.

Initially awarded in 2008, the overall contract - known as Block III - calls for the procurement of eight submarines through FY 13, and has a potential value of $14 billion. The last Block III ship is scheduled for delivery in 2019.

Under the terms of the modification, Electric Boat will continue to develop and implement cost-reduction design changes, an effort called Design For Affordability (DFA). This work will enable the Virginia-class program to reduce acquisition costs by 20 percent in time for the FY 12 submarines.

The most significant design change implemented in Block III is the modification of the submarine's bow, replacing the sonar sphere with a large aperture bow array and the 12 vertical-launch missile tubes with two Virginia Payload Tubes, each carrying six missiles. This redesign will save more than $40 million per ship, beginning with the submarine North Dakota (SSN-784).

The DFA effort is supported by Electric Boat's engineering and design organization, which comprises more than 3,000 employees. Possessing proven technical capabilities, these employees are engaged in all facets of the submarine life cycle from concept formulation and design through construction, maintenance and modernization, and eventually to inactivation and disposal.