General Dynamics Wins $13.8M Undersea Warfare Contract
General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc. has received a $13.78 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy for engineering services and related support for the Undersea Warfare Decision Support System (USW-DSS).
Takeaways
Key facts from the contract announcement
1. $13.8 Million Contract Modification
General Dynamics Mission Systems received a $13,777,976 modification to provide engineering services, incidental material, travel and other direct costs for Undersea Warfare Decision Support Systems.
2. U.S. Navy and France Funding
The contract combines U.S. government purchases accounting for 91% with a 9% Foreign Military Sales share for France.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense contract announcement, the award was made on September 15, 2026, under previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-5213. The modification exercises an option covering engineering services, incidental material, travel and other direct costs associated with the undersea warfare decision-support program.
The contract combines purchases for the U.S. government and France through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. U.S. government purchases account for 91% of the contract, while France accounts for the remaining 9%.
Scope of the General Dynamics USW-DSS Contract
The modification provides continued engineering support for the Navy’s Undersea Warfare Decision Support Systems. The announcement does not disclose specific engineering tasks, software upgrades, system quantities or individual deliverables under the option.
The funded work includes engineering services, incidental material, travel and other direct costs. Performance is scheduled to continue through November 2027.
General Dynamics Mission Systems has identified USW-DSS as part of its undersea warfare command-and-control and tactical decision-aid portfolio. The company describes the system as supporting command-and-control of theater and group forces, including asset and sensor assignment, resource management, mission objectives and risk considerations.
Undersea Warfare Decision Support System Technical and Operational Context
USW-DSS is designed to support decision-making in complex undersea warfare environments rather than serving as a standalone weapon system.
According to General Dynamics Mission Systems, the system provides decision aids that can help operators determine suitable asset and sensor assignments, manage available resources, balance mission objectives against risk and assess vulnerabilities within the operational environment.
This type of capability is relevant to modern undersea warfare because submarine and maritime operations involve information from multiple sensors, platforms and command elements. Decision-support systems can help organize that information for commanders and operators, although the contract announcement does not specify which individual sensors, platforms or software functions will be addressed by this particular option.
The announcement also does not disclose new performance specifications, processing improvements or changes to USW-DSS capabilities resulting from the contract.
Operational Impact on U.S. Navy Undersea Warfare
For the U.S. Navy, continued engineering support for USW-DSS forms part of the broader effort to maintain and develop digital command-and-control capabilities for undersea warfare.
The system’s stated role in assigning assets and sensors and assessing operational vulnerabilities places it within the decision-support layer of undersea operations. This is distinct from the acquisition of a new submarine, sonar or weapon system.
The contract also includes France through the FMS program. The 9% French share indicates that the procurement activity has an allied component, although the announcement does not specify the French systems, units or operational requirements involved.
Contract Breakdown: General Dynamics Mission Systems Award Details
Contract Value
The modification is valued at $13,777,976. This represents the value of the contract modification and should not be confused with the amount being obligated immediately.
The Navy will initially obligate $3,220,714 across the listed fiscal 2026 funding sources.
Contractor
General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc., based in Manassas, Virginia, is the contractor.
Contract Type
The action is a Cost Plus Fixed Fee and Cost Only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-5213. It exercises an option under the existing contract rather than representing an entirely new standalone contract.
Work Locations
Work will be performed at:
- Manassas, Virginia: 66%
- Port Orchard, Washington: 28%
- Groton, Connecticut: 6%
The work is expected to be completed by November 2027.
Funding
The initial obligations are divided among four funding sources:
| Funding Source | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fiscal 2026 Other Procurement, Navy | $2,020,714 | 63% |
| FMS funds, France | $625,000 | 19% |
| Fiscal 2026 Operations and Maintenance, Navy | $300,000 | 9% |
| Fiscal 2026 Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy | $275,000 | 9% |
| Total initial obligation | $3,220,714 | 100% |
Of the initial obligation, $300,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, according to the contract announcement.
Options Or Follow-On Work
The September 15 action exercises an option under the existing contract. The announcement does not disclose additional option values or identify specific follow-on activities beyond the work covered by this modification.
General Dynamics Defense Industrial Base and Acquisition Impact
The award provides continued engineering support rather than a major production procurement. That distinction is important because the contract value covers services and associated costs supporting an existing undersea warfare decision-support capability.
General Dynamics Mission Systems’ broader portfolio includes mission planning and command-readiness systems for naval applications. Its published information identifies USW-DSS as a tactical decision-aid program supporting undersea warfare command-and-control.
The multinational funding structure also demonstrates the role of Foreign Military Sales in supporting interoperable capabilities between the United States and allied nations. In this case, the contract specifically identifies France as the FMS customer.
Program Milestones and Next Steps
The immediate milestone is continued performance of the option through November 2027.
The contract announcement does not identify a new system deployment date, specific software release, additional platform integration or production quantity. Any such developments would require separate official documentation.
The Portfolio Acquisition Executive Mission Systems, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
