General Dynamics Electric Boat signed a contract modification with the Navy to modify Jimmy Carter, the third and final Seawolf-class submarine. The modification, which is valued at about $887 million - will accommodate advanced technology for naval special warfare, tactical surveillance and mine warfare operations.
The modification will entail alterations to the basic Seawolf design, specifically in ballast control, mission management spaces, and various services. The modification also features the formulation of a flexible ocean interface, referred to as the "wasp waist," that will allow the Navy to deploy and recover various payloads without having to use torpedo tubes. The contract modification changes the submarine's delivery date from December 2001 to June 2004.