US Senate approves funding for up to five new Columbia-class nuclear ballistic missile submarines.

The U.S. Senate approved the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, authorizing the Navy to procure up to five Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines

On October 10, 2025, the U.S. Senate passed the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act with a 77–20 vote. The bill authorizes the Navy to begin procurement of up to five Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines under the FY2026 program year. The authority allows multi-boat contracting to manage production schedules and cost predictability within the U.S. submarine industrial base.
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A total of 12 Columbia-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines are planned, each designed to serve a 42-year lifespan without requiring midlife nuclear refueling. (Picture source: US Navy)

By approving the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, the Senate authorized the U.S. Navy to enter into one or more contracts for the procurement of up to five Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines beginning with the FY2026 program year. The legislative text specifies that payments for subsequent years remain contingent upon future appropriations, maintaining annual congressional control over defense spending while allowing the Navy to secure long-lead materials and fixed supplier pricing to avoid production gaps. The measure also restricts termination liability to funds already obligated, thereby limiting financial exposure should priorities or schedules change. This legislation embeds multi-year procurement authority for the Columbia-class within the broader U.S. defense policy framework and aligns industrial execution with the Navy’s top acquisition priority for sea-based nuclear deterrence. The bill will now move to a joint conference with the House of Representatives to reconcile differences before the final enactment.

The first Columbia-class submarine was authorized in Fiscal Year 2021, followed by a second in Fiscal Year 2024, with funding for long-lead materials for additional units already underway. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2026, the U.S. Navy plans to reach a one-submarine-per-year production rate through approximately Fiscal Year 2035. This plan is contingent on stable funding and industrial capacity, with a multi-boat block contract anticipated to cover submarines three through seven. Total procurement for the twelve-boat program is currently estimated at about $126.4 billion (approximately €118 billion), with the lead vessel, named USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826), projected to cost around $15.2 billion (€14.2 billion) due to non-recurring engineering and initial production costs, and follow-on boats, such as the USS Wisconsin (SSBN-827) and the USS Groton (SSBN-828), expected to cost between $9 billion and $10 billion (€8.4 to €9.4 billion) each depending on production efficiency and material costs. These figures include inflation adjustments and supply chain variability.

The Columbia-class submarine program was initiated to replace the aging Ohio-class fleet as those vessels reach the end of their extended service lives between 2027 and 2040. The key distinctions between the Columbia-class and its predecessor include the new S1B reactor that operates for the entire service life without refueling, the adoption of electric drive with pump-jet propulsion, a reduction from 24 to 16 launch tubes, and extensive integration of automation and digital controls. The U.S. Navy’s objective is to maintain continuous at-sea deterrent patrols with a greater reactor efficiency and improved acoustic performance, allowing 12 Columbia-class submarines to perform the same deterrent mission previously requiring 14 Ohio-class units. When compared with the current Virginia-class attack submarines, the Columbia is significantly larger, purpose-built for strategic deterrence rather than tactical flexibility, and features a heavier displacement of approximately 21,140 metric tons versus the Virginia’s 7,800 metric tons.

However, internal assessments have identified potential delays on the first Columbia-class submarine ranging from twelve to seventeen months, prompting the Navy to explore mitigation measures such as extending the service life of selected Ohio-class submarines to ensure deterrence continuity. The authority to procure five boats under a single contractual framework is designed to lock in supplier commitments and minimize future bottlenecks. The industrial teaming model follows that of the Virginia-class, distributing work between facilities in Groton, Connecticut, and Newport News, Virginia. Production involves more than 5,000 suppliers across 48 U.S. states. The Navy’s success criteria for the Columbia-class are measured not only by delivery timelines but also by the fleet’s ability to sustain continuous deterrent patrols without a reduction in the number of deployed ballistic missile submarines available for strategic missions.

Within the United States’ nuclear triad, the ballistic missile submarine force remains the most survivable component, complementing land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear-capable bombers. The US Navy’s plan assumes that 10 of the 12 Columbia-class submarines will be operationally available at any given time, maintaining uninterrupted deterrent patrols in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. The class’s lifetime reactor eliminates mid-life refueling, which allows each submarine to spend more time at sea compared to the Ohio-class. Columbia-class patrols will maintain the strategic assurance of a second-strike capability by remaining continuously deployed and concealed beneath the ocean surface. The replacement schedule for the Ohio-class fleet ensures that deterrence coverage remains uninterrupted, with overlapping patrols planned during the transition phase.

The Columbia-class submarine itself measures approximately 171 meters in length, 13 meters in beam, and has a submerged displacement of around 21,140 metric tons. Each submarine carries a crew complement of about 155 personnel. The propulsion system employs a nuclear S1B reactor with a life-of-ship core that will operate for 42 years without refueling. It uses an integrated electric drive powering a pump-jet propulsor, providing lower acoustic signatures than mechanical drive systems. The hull design incorporates X-shaped stern control surfaces, a sail-mounted plane configuration, and advanced anechoic coatings to minimize detectability. The sonar suite features the Large Aperture Bow array, flank arrays, and a towed array derived from the Virginia-class, enhancing detection and navigation capabilities. Internal systems emphasize reduced maintenance through modular construction and accessible layouts. Diving performance remains classified, though available data suggest an operational depth in excess of 240 meters, consistent with U.S. Navy SSBN requirements.

Armament consists of 16 launch tubes contained within four quad-pack missile compartments, each capable of firing the Trident II D5 series submarine-launched ballistic missile, which will transition to upgraded D5LE2 (Life Extension 2) variants during the Columbia’s operational lifespan. In comparison, the Ohio-class originally carried 24 tubes, later reduced to 20 to meet arms control limitations. The Columbia-class thus carries fewer missiles but compensates through improved availability and reduced downtime. Furthermore, the Common Missile Compartment shared with the United Kingdom standardizes launcher design and simplifies future missile upgrades. Combat systems are based on the AN/BYG-1 fire control system and advanced electronic warfare, communications, and navigation suites compatible with secure strategic command networks. Compared with the Virginia-class, which is a nuclear-powered attack submarine designed for tactical operations using torpedoes and cruise missiles, the Columbia-class is a strategic deterrent submarine optimized for intercontinental-range ballistic missile deployment, making it ideal for continuous nuclear deterrence patrols.

Programmatically, the Columbia-class is built by General Dynamics Electric Boat as the prime contractor, with major sections fabricated by Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding. Construction of the USS District of Columbia began following its FY2021 authorization, while work on USS Wisconsin and USS Groton is progressing in parallel as part of modular construction sequencing. Long-lead components such as missile tubes, reactor modules, and electrical systems are ordered years in advance to support timely assembly. The industrial model mirrors that of the Virginia-class, with parallel fabrication and integrated final assembly. The contract for up to five submarines authorized under the FY2026 NDAA aims to provide material pricing stability, enable supplier investment in workforce and tooling, and prevent supply chain interruptions, ensuring that the United States maintains a modern and credible sea-based leg of its nuclear deterrent, with continuous coverage through 2080 and beyond.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.