NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — Newport News Shipbuilding has opened a $100 million facility to accommodate building two Virginia-class submarines each year.

Company officials held a grand opening of the 65,000-square-foot Supplemental Module Outfitting Facility on Friday. A section of the future nuclear-powered sub USS Illinois has already moved into the facility. It will be the first ship of the two-per-year schedule delivered to the Navy in 2016.

Newport News Shipbuilding is producing the submarines as part of a team with General Dynamics Electric Boat as part of the Navy's plans to add to its nuclear-powered submarine fleet. The team has delivered the first nine boats of the class.

The attack submarines use advanced technologies to increase firepower, maneuverability and stealth. The submarines can stay submerged for up to three months at a time.