Projecting power is a core mission of the U.S. Navy. Park a carrier battle group in the international waters off the coast of North Korea and Kim Jong-un tends to put away his rattling saber—but that kind of move can be provocative in a way that could literally blow up in your face.
A less overt method of naval power projection is provided by America’s nuclear ballistic missile submarines. Part of the nuclear triad that includes land-based missiles and bombers, these underwater missile silos are the most survivable of the three. First deployed in 1981, the Ohio-class subs performing this mission will be soon be replaced by the brand new Columbia-class boats.
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On July 29, 2026, the Department of War announced an award of $76.6 billion in total contracts for the construction of 14 submarines. Five Columbia-class subs will be built by General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB), while nine Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines will also be built by GDEB and HII-Newport News Shipbuilding.
“The awards drive the critical, once-in a generation recapitalization of the Navy’s undersea forces and the Nation’s nuclear triad. The Columbia Class [sic] submarines will provide an effective sea-based strategic deterrent to meet U.S. Strategic Command’s (USSTRATCOM) requirements,” the DoW said in the press release. “Furthermore, these contract awards support the fielding of enhanced Virginia Class submarines, a platform engineered for unparalleled stealth, heavy payload strike capability, and multi-domain lethality. The Navy now has seven Columbia Class submarines under contract, complementing a force of 26 operational Virginia Class submarines with 23 more slated to be built.”
GDEB began construction of the first Columbia-class subs, the USS District of Columbia, in 2021. It’s scheduled for completion in 2030. Only the next two ships, USS Wisconsin and USS Groton, have been named. The new Columbia class is specifically named for the nation’s capitol, while the current USS Columbia is a nuclear fast attack sub named for the cities in Illinois, Missouri, and South Carolina.
Try not to think too hard about it, because the Navy didn’t either.
The Ohio class that the Columbia class is replacing has served from the middle of the Cold War through the Global War on Terror. One submarine even took part in Operation Midnight Hammer, the 2025 strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. With big shoes to fill, the Columbia class is expected to have a service life of 40-plus years, with one mid-life nuclear refueling required.
Interestingly, the Columbia class is reported to have fewer missile launch tubes; 16 compared to the Ohio class’ 24. The 12 scheduled Columbia ships will be replacing 14 Ohio classes, as the first four of the 18 total Ohio class ships were converted to guided missile submarines.
For those counting along, this means a reduction in firepower, but the Columbia class submarine is expected to be similar in size to the Ohio class. The Navy attributes this to updated technology and stealth capabilities, which will see the new class through its 40-year life span.
The technological component is critical because the Navy needs the Columbia class to integrate with new weapons like the Trident II D5 Strategic Weapons System and future hypersonic missiles. Its missiles will be housed in a Common Missile Compartment (CMC) designed by GDEB, and the CMC design will be shared with the British Royal Navy’s future Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarine to enable weapons interoperability with the American ally, if need be.
Looking ahead, the Navy’s FY2027 $377.5 billion budget request includes $65.8 billion to purchase “18 battle force ships and 16 auxiliary ships,” including one Columbia-class submarine. Perhaps most importantly, the significant investment in shipbuilding aims to bolster and modernize American marine engineering and production.
“These awards represent a major milestone in our defense acquisition transformation,” Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey said in the press release. “I commend Vice Admiral Gaucher and his team at the Navy for seamlessly carrying this forward to execution. This is how we rebuild the industrial base together.”
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