Page 23: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 2016)

Postponing the purchase of new systems undersea capability is a critical strength means extending the life of existing of the United States. “We need to keep ones, and that also comes with a heavy that strength, and extend that strength. price. The biggest issue we are going to face

And if recapitalizing and moderniz- beginning in the ‘20s is the beginning ing the conventional ? eet wasn’t a big of the Ohio Class Replacement, and that enough problem, there are huge costs is the building once again of SSBNs as associated with the replacement of the well as attack submarines SSNs, which

Ohio-class of ballistic missile subma- we are doing today. And we have been rines (SSBNs). Referred to as the ORP stressing now for several years we are (Ohio Replacement Program), its pro- going to need some consideration of the jected cost each year will be greater than need to recapitalize our undersea nucle- the rest of the shipbuilding program ar deterrent, because that can’t be done combined. at the expense of the rest of our under-

In his 2016 posture statement to the sea ? eet or we will erode our dominance

Congress, Secretary of the Navy Ray and that is major issue that’s looming in

Mabus called Navy shipbuilding an es- the ‘20s” sential part of our country’s larger ship- The Navy has begun the research and building and repair industry, which he development efforts for the SSBN(X) said provides more than 400,000 jobs Ohio Replacement Program (ORP), and contributes more than $37 billion which will focus on the propulsion to America’s gross domestic product. plant, common missile compartment, “Shipbuilding enhances and strengthens and platform development technologies economic security as well as national se- such as the propulsor, strategic weapons curity. The work we have done, and must system, and maneuvering/ship control.

continue to do, will reinforce the impor- The Navy has stated that ORP is the tance of maintaining a partnership with number one shipbuilding priority, and it the industrial base, as well as keep our will be the most expensive, costing be- shipbuilding industry strong and ready tween $97 billion and $347 billion, de- to support the national security needs of pending on whose estimate you believe. our Navy and our country,” Mabus said. And it can’t start the program too soon. “Across our shipbuilding portfolio, we The design process has to begin this have employed direct, impactful actions year to enable construction to begin in including increased competition within 2021 and for the ? rst operational patrol and across product lines, using block to be conducted in 2031. buys and multi-year procurements when The Navy’s Submarine Uni? ed products are mature; ensuring designs Build Strategy, or SUBS, announced are stable before entering into produc- on March 28, describes the way ahead tion; pursuing cross-program common- for concurrent construction of the Ohio equipment buys; and achieving afford- Replacement and the Virginia class at- ability through hard-but-fair bargaining. tack submarine (SSN). General Dy-

This would not have been possible with- namics Electric Boat will be the prime out Congressional approval on items contractor for the OR program, while like multi-year procurements.” Huntington Ingalls Industries - Newport “Stability and predictability are criti- News Shipbuilding (HII-NNS) will be cal to the health and sustainment of the the major subcontractor to the program. industrial base that builds our Fleet,” In turn, HII-NNS will receive a greater

Maybus said. “Changes in ship pro- share of the SSN program.

curement plans are signi? cant because of the long lead time, specialized skills, Design for Affordability and extent of integration needed to build The Virginia class are being built military ships. The skills required to at two different submarine yards on a build ships are perishable, and, in the shared basis. Huntington Ingalls In- past, we have lost talent in this criti- dustries and General Dynamics are cal industry when plans have changed. America’s only submarine construction

Each ship is a signi? cant fraction of not shipyards, constructing submarines at only the Navy’s shipbuilding budget but Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia also industry’s workload and regional and the Electric Boat Company in Con- employment.” necticut, respectively.

Working with its suppliers, the Navy

Ohio Replacement instituted a “Design for Affordabil-

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, ap- ity” process to invest in ways to design pearing before the House Armed Ser- and build the newest Block III Virginia vices Committee in March 2016, said class boats for less cost without reduc- www.marinelink.com 23

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