Ohio-class submarine launches Trident ICBMs (artist concept)
Navy: Ohio Replacement Negotiations ‘Have Not Progressed’ -- USNI
The Navy’s top acquisition official told the Senate Armed Services Committee Seapower Subcommittee that talks with the Defense Department “have not progressed” in putting the Ohio-class ballistic-missile replacement program into a special National Capital Ships Account.
Testifying on 8 May, Sean Stackley said the long-range impact of keeping the 12 Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines in the Navy’s shipbuilding account means “we will not be able to hit the numbers” to build other ships.
Even though costs have been driven down—from $7 billion per vessel to $4.9 billion—he said that effort “does not buy ship affordability.” The Navy’s shipbuilding plans five years from now call for spending $20 billion for 12 to 15 years to put the replacement ballistic missile submarines into the fleet. The Navy’s shipbuilding request for Fiscal Year 2014 is slightly more than $10 billion.
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My Comment: It all comes down to money .... or a lack of.