Navy awards NASSCO $1.08 billion contract modification for ESB 6 and 7

The Navy on Friday announced a $1.08 billion contract modification to General Dynamics NASSCO for two of the service's Expeditionary Sea Base vessels.

According to the announcement, the modification is for the detail design and construction of ESB 6 and 7, in addition to "definitization of ESB 6 long lead time material, pre-production and engineering support."

"This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $1,626,008,493, and be complete by January 2025," the announcement reads.

The company in a press release said the modification includes the possibility for ESB 8.

"Work on the two new ships of the ESB program is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2020 and continue to the second quarter of 2023," the release reads.

Inside Defense previously reported that the Navy plans to purchase its last ESB, which will be ESB 8, in fiscal year 2023.

The Navy in the FY-19 future years defense program projecting buying the last ESB in FY-20, but delayed the buy in its most recent budget request due to "higher-priority ship procurements."