General Dynamics receives submarine missile fire control contract

Aug. 14 (UPI) -- General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems is being awarded a $9.7 million modification to an existing contract for work on U.S. and British submarine fire control systems, the Department of Defense announced on Friday.

The modification will include maintenance for the Attack Weapon Control System on SSGN guided missile submarines and missile fire-control development for the future U.S. Columbia-class and British Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarines.

The U.S. Ohio-class and British Vanguard-class are the ballistic missile submarine component of the two countries navies. They are armed with the Trident II D5 nuclear ballistic missile and form the primary naval leg of the U.S. "nuclear triad," and are the Britain's only nuclear deterrent.

The Ohio and Vanguard classes are expected to be replaced by the future Columbia and Dreadnought SSBNs. The two classes will share a Common Missile Compartment for the Trident II and other weapons such as cruise missiles. The Columbias and Dreadnoughts are projected to start entering service in the late 2020s and phase out the older models.

Four of the Ohio-class have been converted into SSGN conventional cruise missile platforms in place of their Tridents. They are capable of fielding up to 154 Tomahawks for long-range land attacks. Other examples of SSGNs include the Russian Oscar-class.