US Navy to slash the number of Virginia-class attack subs in long-delayed contract

The U.S. Navy is preparing to sign a contract for nine Virginia-class attack submarines, eight of which will include an 84-foot section that boosts the boat’s strike missile capacity, which is down from 11 boats planned for in this year’s budget submission, Defense News has confirmed with sources familiar with the pending contract.
The contract will also include an option for a 10th boat if needed, sources said.
The news, first reported by Bloomberg, is the latest jolt to the Virginia-class program that has seen creeping delays and slipping profits in recent years caused by labor issues and a strained submarine industrial supply base. The contract was originally intended to be signed by October 2018, at the start of fiscal 2019, according to Navy budget documents.