By Mike Stone
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – General Dynamics Corp was awarded a $9.47 billion contract for the construction of Columbia class submarines, moving the U.S. Navy’s top procurement priority out of the early-construction phase, the Pentagon said on Thursday.
The contract for the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines covers the move to full construction of the first ship in the class, the USS Columbia, as well as continued advanced construction of the second ship, the USS Wisconsin, the Navy said.
(Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
