May 19 (UPI) -- Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. has received a contract for $7.3 million for maintenance, material support, and modernization of the turbine engines on the submarine USS New Hampshire.
The work will be completed in Kittery, Maine, at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. It is expected to be completed by July 2018. The $7.3 million will be drawn from Fiscal 2017 Navy operations and maintenance funds.
The contract was non-competitive due to there being one responsible supplier with no other available sources, which is permitted under federal law.
The USS New Hampshire, SSN-778, is a Virginia-class attack submarine. The Virginia-class is the newest attack submarine in service with the U.S. Navy.
The vessel, which has been in service since 2008, is nuclear powered and armed with 12 vertical launch systems capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles, in addition to four tubes for MK-48 torpedoes.
The New Hampshire is also capable of delivering special forces teams to coastal targets.
