Navy Seeks to Rev Up to Building 3 Attack Submarines Per Year

[Peter1469]

Navy Seeks to Rev Up to Building 3 Attack Submarines Per Year

Wow. That is a serious build-up of naval power.

The Navy hopes to increase its current submarine construction op-tempo and build as many as three Virginia-class submarines per year to more rapidly address the services’ attack submarine deficit.


The previous status quo had been for the Navy to drop from building two Virginia-Class boats per year to one in the early 2020s when construction of the new Columbia-Class nuclear armed submarines begins. The service then moved to a plan to build two Virginia-class submarines and one Columbia-class submarine concurrently, according to findings from a Navy assessment.





The proposed idea now, currently being explored by the Navy, is to jump up to three Virginia-class per year when Columbia-class production hits a lull in “off years.”





“I do believe there is a capacity to get to three a year in the off years for Columbia construction. We have gotten up to two per year and that is sustainable. There is capacity in the yard and as we negotiate this upcoming multI-year, we will look at pulling options in to add more submarines,” James Geurts, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition, told lawmakers at a Congressional House Armed Services Committee Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.

[Don]

The Science Channel just had a program about the new Virginia class subs. They said that the nuclear power plant never has to be refueled. One billion mile range. The subs lifespan will be 33 years. Near silent propulsion. New radar/sonar and other sensors that paint a better picture of the subs surroundings. No more periscope. A new sensor that takes up a lot less space and shows external images on monitors so everyone that needs to see can see.