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South Korean Lawmaker Proposes Special Act on Nuclear-Powered Submarines

Yoo Yong-won, a lawmaker from South Korea's People Power Party (PPP), proposed a draft of the Special Act on the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Project on August 27, aiming to establish a dedicated legal basis for introducing nuclear-powered submarines to South Korea. The South Korean government is currently advancing the nuclear-powered submarine project as a national strategic initiative. At a press conference held at the National Assembly that day, Yoo stated that the existing Defense Acquisition Program Act and Nuclear Safety Act have limitations in fully reflecting the unique characteristics of military nuclear propulsion systems, making it necessary to enact a special law. The draft proposes establishing a Nuclear-Powered Submarine Strategic Committee under the president's leadership to deliberate on major related matters...

2026-08-28

Australia Plans Nuclear Submarine Maintenance Dockyard in Western Australia

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said Australia plans to build a dockyard in Western Australia by the early 2030s to maintain U.S. Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines. Marles said at a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that Australia needs to complete a backup dockyard by the early 2030s to commence maintenance work on Virginia-class submarines. The Australian government confirmed on August 24 that the new defence complex will be located in Henderson, Western Australia. Under the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States...

2026-08-25

Russian Far East nuclear submarine base adds anti-drone nets, unmanned equipment protection prompts adjustments across multiple platforms

Satellite imagery shows Russia has installed anti-drone protective nets over multiple nuclear submarines at the Vilyuchinsk naval base on the Kamchatka Peninsula. The base hosts the Pacific Fleet's nuclear submarine deployment. A total of eight moored submarines are covered by the protection, including Borei-class and Borei-A-class ballistic missile submarines, as well as Oscar-class, Yasen-class, and Akula-class attack submarines. The protective installations consist mainly of L-shaped steel frames along the piers and retractable netting. When submarines are berthed, the nets can cover the upper hull; before submarines depart port, the netting is rolled up and stowed. Such facilities cannot withstand long-range cruise drones or heavy missile strikes, but can provide a degree of physical shielding against low-cost threats such as small FPV drones and improvised unmanned devices. The Russian side has also deployed double-layer floating barriers on the outer side of the mooring area to prevent unmanned surface vessels from entering the harbor.

2026-08-10

U.S. Enhances Virginia-Class Nuclear Submarines

The recent U.S. efforts to enhance and reposition the Virginia-class nuclear submarines have focused primarily on expanding the platform's own capabilities. Certain batches of Virginia-class submarines are being reclassified from attack submarines (SSN) toward cruise missile submarines (SSGN), with the addition of the Virginia Payload Module (VPM) extending the hull and adding large-diameter vertical launch tubes, increasing the per-boat Tomahawk cruise missile payload from 12 to approximately 40, while also accommodating Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic missiles and unmanned underwater vehicles. This modification directly fills the firepower gap left by the retiring Ohio-class SSGNs, positioning this submarine class as a covert, long-range conventional precision-strike node at sea. As nuclear-powered submarines, the Virgini...

2026-08-10

Czech industrial valve manufacturer MSA expands into the full nuclear energy supply chain

Czech industrial valve manufacturer MSA is actively expanding its business, aiming not only to participate in the construction of the Dukovany nuclear power plant but also to enter the supply chains related to small modular reactors (SMRs) and nuclear submarine projects. The company is one of the representatives of Czech industrial valve manufacturers, with years of industry experience and technical expertise. MSA specializes in the manufacture of industrial valves designed for the control of media such as liquids and gases. Its products have a long history and have undergone significant technological advancements. Modern industrial valves have become a highly specialized field, relying on contemporary research, innovative materials, and stringent technical and legal requirements. In particular, valves used in nuclear power plants must meet the highest standards of quality, safety, and operational reliability...

2026-08-06

Leidos Australia to Design Floating Dry Dock for Nuclear Submarines

Leidos Australia will design a floating dry dock for nuclear-powered submarines to support the maintenance and operational readiness of Australia's future fleet. This project is a key component of the optimal pathway under the AUKUS Pillar One, aimed at ensuring mission readiness, continuity, and resilience, leveraging Leidos' decades of expertise in submarine and maritime engineering. Under the oversight of the Australian Submarine Agency (ASA), this floating dry dock will become a vital part of the nation's naval infrastructure for nuclear submarines, enabling underwater system inspection, maintenance, and repair. The design is highly complex due to its involvement with specialized nuclear safety and security requirements. Leidos Gibbs & Cox...

2026-08-01

U.S. Navy Awards General Dynamics Electric Boat Contract for Construction of 14 Nuclear Submarines

General Dynamics Electric Boat announced that the U.S. Navy has awarded it a contract package for the construction of 14 nuclear submarines, with a total contract value of $76.6 billion. According to information released by the company, under this announced U.S. Navy contract framework, General Dynamics Electric Boat will receive $29.5 billion for the construction of five Columbia-class submarines, and an additional $42.1 billion for the construction of nine Virginia-class submarines. The contract also includes funding to support shipyard infrastructure construction. General Dynamics Electric Boat serves as the prime contractor for the program. A portion of the construction work will be subcontracted to Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries. ...

2026-08-01

U.S. Confirms Order for Nine Virginia-Class Block VI Nuclear Submarines

The U.S. Department of Defense has confirmed that it has signed a contract modification agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat to order nine Virginia-class Block VI multi-purpose nuclear-powered submarines. The statement said the contract is an incentive-based modification, and the submarines will be used by the U.S. Navy. Despite delays in General Dynamics' previous orders, both parties have moved forward with this new contract. On July 15, U.S. President Donald Trump had asked the company's management to accelerate the construction progress of U.S. Navy submarines. In addition to the Virginia-class submarines, the U.S. Department of Defense has also ordered five Columbia-class Type II ballistic missile nuclear submarines from Newport News Shipbuilding. Under the contract arrangement, related work is expected to be completed before July 2038...

2026-07-31