Northrop Grumman Wins $18 Million Navy Contract for Virginia-Class Submarine Components

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. won a $17.8 million Navy contract to manufacture 157 ceramic ball rotating assemblies for Virginia-class submarines. The firm-fixed-price award, made Sept. 23, 2026, calls for all work to take place in Sunnyvale, California, with completion expected by August 2028. NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity.

Virginia-Class Submarine Component Details

Northrop Grumman will produce 157 ceramic ball rotating assemblies under the stand-alone supply contract. The award establishes a quantity and a completion date but does not identify the onboard system in which the assemblies will be used.

The Sunnyvale work supports the Navy’s Virginia-class submarine fleet. This is a component-manufacturing award, distinct from the contracts under which the submarines themselves are built.

Virginia-Class Submarine Background

Virginia-class submarines are built by General Dynamics Electric Boat and HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding. The Navy awarded a $22.2 billion Block V construction contract in 2019. Eight boats in that configuration include the Virginia Payload Module, which increases their Tomahawk capacity from 12 to 40 missiles. In April 2025, the Navy added two submarines to the Block V contract as part of an effort to stabilize suppliers and expand industrial-base capacity.

Production remains under pressure. A 2026 Government Accountability Office assessment found that the two Virginia-class boats delivered in 2025 were each more than three years late. As of June 2025, construction was proceeding at roughly one boat per year, compared with the Navy’s goal of two. GAO cited late supplier material and shortages of experienced workers among the causes.

Award and Contractor Background

The Navy solicited one source for the ceramic ball rotating assemblies and received one offer. The award was made on a sole-source basis, and its full $17.8 million value was obligated at award.

Northrop Grumman has other component work supporting Virginia-class submarines. A related $8.3 million Navy contract covers production of 60 CB stator sleeves for the class’s engineering and diesel system, with performance scheduled through June 2027. That contract concerns a different component from the assemblies in the new award. Northrop Grumman’s awardee profile lists its broader federal contracting activity.

This award was disclosed by the DoW in its daily press release. Additional contract details will be available on HigherGov in approximately 90 days under N0010426CYA55 after the contract is formally disclosed by the government.