Goodrich Corporation has received a $49 million contract from Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding to provide a number of composite components for the next eight Virginia Class nuclear fast attack submarines, collectively referred to as Block III.
Goodrich's Engineered Polymer Products team in Jacksonville, Fla., is building components to support the construction of one ship per year in 2009 and 2010, rising to two ships per year from 2011 through 2013. The components include the bow dome, and sonar and weapons equipment.
"These contract awards continue the core work that is the foundation of our submarine business," said Jim Pollock, vice president for Goodrich's Engineered Polymer Products team. "We have been able to expand our composite product content on the Virginia-class Block III multi-year buy, and will remain focused on securing additional content for Block III as well as developing composite solutions for Virginia-class Block IV and the Ohio-class replacement submarine. We will continue to invest in our people, processes and technology to provide innovative world-class solutions for submarines."
The Virginia-class submarines are the first U.S. Navy combatant designed for the post-Cold War era. Unobtrusive, non-provocative and connected with land, air, sea and space-based assets, the Virginia-class submarines are equipped to wage multi-dimensional warfare around the globe, providing the U.S. Navy with continued dominance in coastal waters and the open ocean.
General Dynamics Electric Boat with its construction partner Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding has contracts to build a total of 18 Virginia-class ships; 30 ships are planned altogether.
Goodrich Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a global supplier of systems and services to aerospace, defense and homeland security markets. With one of the most strategically diversified portfolios of products in the industry, Goodrich serves a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and service facilities.