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The article provides background on U.S. Navy force structure and shipbuilding plans and discusses issues for the U.S. Congress. Information is presented on current number of ships, 355-ship force-level goal of 2026, preferred 381-ship force-level goal of 2023, force-level goals result from force structure assessments and fiscal year 2025 shipbuilding plans. Issues for Congress include industrial base capacity constraints, shipbuilding costs and procurement of Virginia-class submarines.

The article focuses on the U.S. Navy eliminated funding for research and development into a new nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N). It mentions the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden sought U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) funding for research and development into the missile. It also mentions National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to work on a warhead that would be carried by the SLCM-N.

The article focuses on the current and future structure of the U.S. Navy, addressing key issues such as ship procurement rates, affordability of shipbuilding plans, and the industrial capacity to meet these goals. It highlights the Navy's target of achieving a fleet of 381 manned ships and the implications of proposed retirements, budget requests, and delays in shipbuilding programs.

The article focuses on the development and funding of shipboard solid-state lasers (SSLs) by the U.S. Navy for enhanced surface-ship self-defense against threats like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and anti-ship missiles (ASCMs). It outlines key programs, strategic concerns regarding the survivability of Navy surface ships, and the advantages of SSLs in improving defense capabilities and cost-effectiveness.

The article provides information on the U.S. Navy's Virginia-class (SSN-774) nuclear-powered attack submarine program and AUKUS submarine (Pillar 1) project, as well as policy considerations for Congress. The budget proposed by the Navy for fiscal year 2025 seeks to procure one SSN-774 that would become the 41st boat in the class, with an estimated cost of 5,759.5 million dollars. Pillar 1 involves the deployment, selling and development of SSN by Australia, the United kingdom and the U.S.

The article provides information on the U.S. Navy's Constellation-class (FFG-62) frigate program and related considerations for Congress. The program aims to procure at least 20 FFG-62 frigates, including the six ships that have been acquired through fiscal year (FY) 2024. The budget proposed by the Navy for FY2025 requests 1,170.4 million dollars to procure the seventh ship in the program. Potential oversight issues to be considered by Congress include the risk of cost growth in the program.

The article provides information on the U.S. Navy's Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) and Zumwalt (DDG-1000) destroyer programs and related policy considerations for Congress. The Navy has procured 94 DDG-51 ships through fiscal year (FY) 2024. The budget proposed by the Navy for FY2025 seeks to procure two more DDG-51 costing about 2.5 billion dollars each. The Navy procured three DDG-1000 destroyers in FY2007 to FY2009 but plans no further procurement of the ships.

The Navy’s Columbia (SSBN-826) class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) program is a program to design and build a class of 12 new SSBNs to replace the Navy’s current force of 14 aging Ohio-class SSBNs. Since 2013, the Navy has consistently identified the Columbia-class program as the Navy’s top priority program. The Navy procured the first Columbia-class boat in FY2021; the boat was funded with three-year incremental funding in FY2021-FY2023. The Navy procured the second Columbia-class boat in FY2024; the boat is being funded with two-year incremental funding (also called split funding) in FY2024-FY2025. The Navy wants to procure the remaining 10 boats in the program—boats 3 through 12—at a rate of one per year in FY2026- FY2035. The Navy’s FY2025 budget submission estimates the total procurement cost of the first boat at $15,179.1 million (i.e., about $15.2 billion) and the procurement cost of the second Columbia-class boat at $9,283.1 million (i.e., about $9.3 billion). The first boat’s procurement cost is much higher than that of subsequent boats in the class because the first boat includes most of the detail design/nonrecurring engineering (DD/NRE) costs for the class. (It is a long-standing Navy budgetary practice to incorporate the DD/NRE costs for a new class of ship into the total procurement cost of the first ship in the class.) The first boat’s estimated procurement cost includes $6,557.6 million for plans, meaning (essentially) the DD/NRE costs for the class. Excluding costs for plans, the estimated hands-on construction cost of the first ship is $8,621.5 million (i.e., about $8.6 billion). The Navy’s proposed FY2025 budget requests $3,341.2 million (i.e., about $3.3 billion) in procurement funding to complete the procurement cost of the second Columbia-class boat and $6,215.9 million (i.e., about $6.2 billion) in advance procurement (AP) funding for Columbia class boats to be procured in FY2026 and subsequent years. Issues for Congress for the Columbia-class program include the following: • The impact of an estimated 12- to 16-month delay in the delivery of the first Columbia-class boat on the Navy’s plans for replacing Ohio-class SSBNs on a timely basis; • industrial-base challenges of building both Columbia-class boats and Virginia-class attack submarines (SSNs) at the same time; • the risk of cost growth in the Columbia-class program; and • the potential impact of the Columbia-class program on funding that will be available for other Navy programs, including other shipbuilding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the Navy's Constellation (FFG-62) class frigate program, detailing its procurement plans and potential oversight issues for Congress, such as delays in delivery, cost growth concerns, and regarding shipyard involvement and technical risks. It also provides background information on the Navy's force of small surface combatants (SSCs), including frigates, littoral combat ships (LCSs), and mine warfare ships, outlining the Navy's force-level goals and shipbuilding plans.

The current and planned size and composition of the Navy, the annual rate of Navy ship procurement, the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans, the capacity of the U.S. shipbuilding industry to execute the Navy's shipbuilding plans, and Navy proposals for retiring existing ships have been oversight matters for the congressional defense committees for many years. In December 2016, the Navy released a force-structure goal that calls for achieving and maintaining a fleet of 355 ships of certain types and numbers. The 355-ship goal was made U.S. policy by Section 1025 of the FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 2810/P.L. 115-91 of December 12, 2017). The 355-ship goal predates the Trump and Biden Administrations' national defense strategies and does not reflect the new, more distributed fleet architecture (i.e., new mix of ships) that the Navy wants to shift toward in coming years. The Navy and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) have been working since 2019 to develop a successor for the 355-ship force-level goal that would reflect current national defense strategy and the new fleet architecture, but have not been able to come to closure on a successor goal. A July 18, 2023, press report stated that the Navy on June 20, 2023, had submitted to the congressional defense committees a congressionally mandated Battle Force Ship Assessment and Requirement (BFSAR) report that calls for a future fleet with 381 manned ships. It is not clear whether the Administration endorses the 381-ship fleet as the new force-level goal for the Navy. The Navy's proposed FY2024 budget requests $32.8 billion in shipbuilding funding for, among other things, the procurement of nine new ships, including one Columbia (SSBN-826) class ballistic missile submarine, two Virginia (SSN-774) class attack submarines, two Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class destroyers, two Constellation (FFG-62) class frigates, one AS(X) submarine tender, and one John Lewis (TAO-205) class oiler. The Navy's proposed FY2024 budget also proposes retiring 11 ships, including two relatively young Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs). The Navy's FY2024 five year (FY2024-FY2028) shipbuilding plan includes a total of 55 ships, or an average of 11 per year. Given a 35-year average surface life for Navy ships (a planning factor that assumes that all Navy ships would be kept in service to the end of their expected service lives), an average shipbuilding rate of 11 ships per year, if sustained for 35 years, would increase the size of the Navy to 385 ships over a 35-year period (i.e., by the 2060s). The Navy fell below 300 battle force ships (the kind of ships that count toward the quoted size of the Navy and the Navy's 355-ship force-structure goal) in August 2003, and has generally remained between 270 and 300 battle force ships since then. As of November 6, 2023, the Navy included 291 battle force ships. The Navy projects that under its FY2024 budget submission, the Navy would include 293 battle force ships at the end of FY2024 and 291 battle force ships at the end of FY2028. The FY2024 30-year (FY2024-FY2053) shipbuilding plan, similar to the FY2023 30-year (FY2023-FY2052) shipbuilding plan, includes three potential 30-year shipbuilding profiles and resulting 30-year force-level projections, referred to as PB2024 (President's budget for FY2024), Alternative 2, and Alternative 3. PB2024 and Alternative 2 assume no real (i.e., above-inflation) growth in shipbuilding funding, while Alternative 3 assumes some amount of real growth in shipbuilding funding. Under PB2024, the Navy would increase to a peak of 331 manned ships in FY2039-FY2040 and then decrease to 319 manned ships in FY2053. Under Alternative 2, the Navy would increase to a peak of 331 manned ships in FY2039, and then decrease to 328 manned ships in FY2053. Under Alternative 3, the Navy would increase to 356 manned ships in FY2042 and continue increasing to 367 manned ships by FY2053. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides background information and issues for Congress on shipboard solid state lasers (SSLs) that the Navy is developing for surface-ship self-defense in America. It discusses Navy's proposed budget requests for financial year 2024, where it installed its first prototype SSL capable of countering surface craft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and mentions that the higher-power SSLs developed by the Navy have capability for countering anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs).

The article focuses on the U.S. Navy has been procuring Virginia (SSN-774) class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) since fiscal 1998. It mentions Virginia-class boats procured in FY2019-FY2023 were procured under a multiyear procurement (MYP) contract. It also mentions Virginia-class boats procured in FY2019 and subsequent years are to be built with the Virginia Payload Module (VPM) and launching additional Tomahawk missiles or other payloads.

The article focuses on U.S. Navy's Columbia (SSBN-826) class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) program is a program to design and build a class of 12 new SSBNs to replace the Navy's current force of 14 aging Ohio-class SSBNs. It mentions Issues for Congress for the Columbia-class program include the following such as potential industrial-base challenges of building both Columbia-class boats and Virginia-class attack submarines (SSNs) at the same time.

The article focuses on aircraft carriers CVN-78, CVN-79, CVN-80, and CVN-81 are the first four ships in the Navy's new Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs). It mentions ship was commissioned into service on July 22, 2017, and achieved initial operational capability in December 2021. It also mentions deployment was delayed by a need to complete work on the ship's weapons elevators .

The article focuses on Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class destroyer program is one of the longest-running shipbuilding programs in Navy history. It mentions Navy requested authority for using a multiyear procurement (MYP) contract for DDG-51s scheduled for procurement in fiscal 2023- fiscal 2027. It also mentions Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) funding, which is a kind of advance procurement (AP) funding.

The article focuses on the U.S. Navy began procuring Constellation (FFG-62) class frigates (FFGs) in FY2020, and a total of four have been procured through fiscal 2023. It mentions FFG-62s are being built by Fincantieri/Marinette Marine (F/MM) of Marinette, WI. F/MM was awarded a fixed-price incentive. It also mentions Navy's emerging force-level goal for frigates and other small surface combatants and number of vertical launch system (VLS) missile tubes.

The article provides information on the U.S. Navy's SSN(X) Next-Generation Attack Submarine program that aims to replace its Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines, and related issues of interest to Congress. The proposed budget of the Navy for fiscal year (FY) 2025 defers the procurement of the first SSN(X) from FY2035 to FY2040 due to limitations on its total budget. Issues for Congress include the potential impact of the program on funding for the Navy's other program priorities.

The article provides information on the U.S. Navy's Light Replenishment Oiler (TAOL) program and related policy considerations for Congress. The program aims to procure a new class of Combat Logistics Force ships, also called underway replenishment ships, for the Navy. The Navy's proposed budget for fiscal year 2025 seeks 7.7 million dollars in research and development funding for the shipbuilding program. Several congressional committees have recommended approving the Navy's funding request.

The article focuses on the U.S. Navy began procuring Virginia (SSN-774) class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) since FY1998, and a total of 36 have been procured through FY2022. It mentions class boats scheduled for procurement in FY2019-FY2023 are being procured under a multiyear procurement (MYP) contract. It also mentions section equipped with four large-diameter, vertical launch tubes for storing and launching additional Tomahawk missiles or other payloads.

The article focuses on the U.S. Navy annual rate of Navy ship procurement, the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans, and the capacity of the U.S. shipbuilding industry. It mentions Navy and the Department of Defense (DOD) have been working since 2019 to develop a successor for the 355-ship force-level goal that would reflect current national defense strategy and the new fleet architecture. It also mentions longer-term shipbuilding plans.

The article focuses on the U.S. Navy began procuring Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class destroyers. It mentions DDG-51s were procured in FY2018-FY2022 under a multiyear procurement (MYP) contract that U.S. Congress approved as part of its action on the Navy's FY2018 budget. It also mentions Navy's proposed FY2023 budget requests needed to complete the two ships' estimated combined procurement cost and annual options that could expand the contract to include more than 10 ships.

The article focuses on U.S. Navy began procuring Constellation (FFG-62) class frigates (FFGs) in fiscal year 2020 wants to procure a total of 20 FFG-62s. It mentions F/MM was awarded a fixed-price incentive (firm target) contract for Detail Design and Construction (DD&C) for up to 10 ships in the program—the lead ship plus nine option ships. It also mentions Navy to conduct a land-based test program for the FFG-62's engineering plant.

The article looks at a report which provides background information and issues for U.S. Congress on shipboard solid state lasers (SSLs) that the Navy is developing for surface-ship self-defense. It mentions Navy efforts to develop SSLs include Solid State Laser Technology Maturation (SSL-TM) effort; Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy (ODIN); and High Energy Laser Counter-ASCM Program (HELCAP).

The article reports that U.S. Navy is currently procuring two type of amphibious ships such as LPD-17 Flight II class amphibious ships, and LHA-type amphibious assault. It mentions Marine Corps' FY2023 unfunded priorities list (UPL), however, includes, as its top unfunded item for a fourth LPD-17 Flight II class ship (LPD-33) to be procured in a future fiscal year. It also mentions programs could affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the shipbuilding industrial base.

The article focuses on the U.S. Navy's Light Replenishment Oiler (TAOL) program, previously known as the Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) program, which aims to procure smaller at-sea resupply ships for the Navy. Topics include the new fleet architecture and operational concepts related to countering A2/AD capabilities, the procurement plans and costs for TAOLs, industry engagement, and congressional funding requests for the program.

An appendix is presented about the shipboard laser weapon system (LaWS) being developed by the U.S. Navy as of June 2015.

The article focuses on Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program, which is carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy, gives Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers a capability for conducting BMD operations. It mentions Congress regarding the Aegis BMD program include the following required versus available numbers of BMD-capable Aegis ships. It also mentions role of the Aegis BMD program in a new missile defense system architecture for Guam.

The article looks at a report which provides background information and issues for Congress on shipboard solid state lasers (SSLs) that the Navy is developing for surface-ship self-defense. It mentions several Navy efforts to develop SSLs include Solid State Laser Technology Maturation (SSL-TM) effort; Surface Navy Laser Weapon System (SNLWS) Increment and High Energy Laser Counter-ASCM Program (HELCAP).

The Navy began procuring Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class destroyers, also known as Aegis destroyers, in FY1985, and a total of 89 have been procured through FY2022, including two in FY2022. From FY1989 through FY2005, DDG-51s were procured in annual quantities of two to five ships per year. Since FY2010, they have been procured in annual quantities of one to three ships per year. (The Navy did not procure any DDG-51s in FY2006-FY2009.) The first DDG-51 entered service in 1991, and a total of 70 have been delivered as of February 2022. The DDG-51 design has been updated multiple times over the years; the version currently being procured, called the Flight III DDG-51 design, incorporates a new and more capable radar called the SPY-6 radar. DDG-51s were procured in FY2018-FY2022 under a multiyear procurement (MYP) contract that Congress approved as part of its action on the Navy's FY2018 budget. Three previous MYP contracts for the DDG-51 program covered DDG-51s procured in FY1998-FY2001, FY2002-FY2005, and FY2013-FY2017. As part of its FY2023 budget submission, the Navy is requesting a new MYP contract for DDG-51s scheduled for procurement in FY2023-FY2027. The Navy's proposed FY2023 budget requests the procurement of two DDG-51s in FY2023. The budget estimates the combined procurement cost of the two ships at $4,417.5 million (i.e., about $4.4 billion). The two ships have received $41.0 million in prior-year Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) funding, which is a kind of advance procurement funding that can occur under an MYP contract. The Navy's proposed FY2023 budget requests the remaining $4,376.5 million needed to complete the two ships' estimated combined procurement cost. The Navy's proposed FY2023 budget also requests $618.4 million in EOQ funding for DDG-51s to be procured under the proposed FY2023-FY2027 MYP contract, and $228.6 million in cost-to-complete funding to cover cost growth on DDG-51s procured in prior fiscal years. The Navy's FY2023 five-year (FY2023-FY2027) shipbuilding plan includes 10 DDG-51s, to be procured at a rate of two ships per year. Although the Navy's FY2023-FY2027 shipbuilding plan includes 10 DDG-51s, the Navy's proposed FY2023-FY2027 MYP contract for the DDG-51 program includes nine (rather than 10) firm ships, plus an option for a 10th ship, as well as additional annual options that could expand the contract to include more than 10 ships. The Navy's proposal for the FY2023-FY2027 MYP contract to include nine rather than 10 firm ships is a potential oversight issue for Congress in its consideration of the Navy's proposed FY2023 budget. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses arguments for and against the U.S. Navy's adoption of a program of record for procuring a production version of a shipboard laser and/or a roadmap calling for installing lasers on specific surface ships by specific dates. Issues that those against the Navy's development of a program of record that could be argued include the risk of rush to failure and the Navy's flexibility to incorporate technological advances. Issues that supporters could argue are also cited, such as socializing shipboard lasers by installing them on ships.

The current and planned size and composition of the Navy, the annual rate of Navy ship procurement, the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans, and the capacity of the U.S. shipbuilding industry to execute the Navy's shipbuilding plans have been oversight matters for the congressional defense committees for many years. In December 2016, the Navy released a force-structure goal that calls for achieving and maintaining a fleet of 355 ships of certain types and numbers. The 355-ship goal was made U.S. policy by Section 1025 of the FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 2810/P.L. 115-91 of December 12, 2017). The Navy and the Department of Defense (DOD) have been working since 2019 to develop a successor for the 355-ship force-level goal. The new goal is expected to introduce a new, more distributed fleet architecture featuring a smaller proportion of larger ships, a larger proportion of smaller ships, and a new third tier of large unmanned vehicles (UVs). On June 17, 2021, the Navy released a long-range Navy shipbuilding document that presents the Biden Administration's emerging successor to the 355-ship force-level goal. The document calls for a Navy with a more distributed fleet architecture, including 321 to 372 manned ships and 77 to 140 large UVs. A September 2021 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report estimates that the fleet envisioned in the document would cost an average of between $25.3 billion and $32.7 billion per year in constant FY2021 dollars to procure. These figures, the report states, are 10% to 43% higher the $22.9 billion in constant FY2021 dollars that Congress has appropriated, on average, for all Navy shipbuilding activities over the past five years. The Navy's proposed FY2022 budget requests the procurement of eight new ships, including two Virginia-class attack submarines (SSNs); one Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class destroyer; one Constellation (FFG-62) class frigate; one John Lewis (TAO-205) class oiler; two TATS towing, salvage, and rescue ships; and one TAGOS(X) ocean surveillance ship. The total of eight new ships requested for FY2022 is one more than the total of seven new ships that were projected for FY2022 under the Navy's FY2021 budget submission, about two less than steady-state replacement rate for a 355-ship Navy (which is about 10 ships per year), and four less than the 12 new ships shown in a long-range shipbuilding document that Trump Administration submitted on December 9, 2020. The Navy's proposed FY2022 budget requests $18.1 billion for construction of new ships within its shipbuilding budget (the Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy, or SCN, appropriation account), compared with $17.8 billion for construction of new ships within the SCN account projected for FY2022 under the Navy's FY2021 budget submission, $22.8 billion in FY2022 for construction of new ships within the SCN account in the December 9, 2020, document, and an enacted FY2021 total of $20.1 billion for the construction of new ships within the SCN account. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's force-level goal, its proposed FY2022 shipbuilding program, and its longer-term shipbuilding plans. Key questions for Congress include the following: Is the Navy's emerging force-level goal appropriate for supporting U.S. national security strategy and U.S. national defense strategy? Is the more distributed fleet architecture envisioned by the Navy the most cost effective fleet architecture for meeting future mission needs? Is the Navy's proposed FY2022 shipbuilding program consistent with the Navy's emerging force-level goal? Given finite defense resources and competing demands for defense funds, what is the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans? Does the U.S. shipbuilding industry, including both shipyards and supplier firms, have adequate capacity for executing the Navy's shipbuilding plans? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Navy has been procuring Virginia (SSN-774) class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) since FY1998, and a total of 34 have been procured through FY2021. Since FY2011, Virginia-class boats have been procured at a rate of two per year. Virginia-class boats scheduled for procurement in FY2019-FY2023 are being procured under a multiyear procurement (MYP) contract. Most Virginia-class boats procured in FY2019 and subsequent years are to be built with the Virginia Payload Module (VPM), an additional, 84-foot-long, mid-body section equipped with four large-diameter, vertical launch tubes for storing and launching additional Tomahawk missiles or other payloads. When procured at a rate of two boats per year, VPM-equipped Virginia-class SSNs have an estimated procurement cost of about $3.45 billion per boat. The Navy's proposed budget requests the procurement of the 35th and 36th Virginia-class boats. The two boats have an estimated combined procurement cost of $6,915.8 million (i.e., about $6.9 billion). The two boats have received $1,888.3 million in prior-year "regular" advance procurement (AP) funding, and $778.2 million in Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) funding, which is an additional kind of AP funding that can occur under an MYP contract. The Navy's proposed FY2022 budget requests the remaining $4,249.2 million needed to complete the two boats' estimated combined procurement cost of $6,915.8 million. The Navy's proposed FY2022 budget also requests $2,120.4 million in AP funding for Virginia-class boats to be procured in one or more future fiscal years, bringing the total amount of procurement and AP funding requested for the Virginia-class program to $6,369.6 million (i.e., about $6.4 billion). A key issue for Congress concerns the SSN force-level goal and procurement rate. The Navy's current force-level goal, which was released in December 2016, calls for achieving a maintaining a fleet of 355 manned ships, including 66 SSNs. On December 9, 2020, the Navy released a longrange Navy shipbuilding document that called for a Navy with 382 to 446 manned ships, including 72 to 78 SSNs, plus additional large surface and underwater unmanned vehicles (UVs). On June 17, 2021, the Navy released a long-range Navy shipbuilding document that calls for a Navy with 321 to 372 manned ships, including 66 to 72 SSNs, plus additional large surface and underwater UVs. Under the Navy's FY2020 30-year (FY2020-FY2049) shipbuilding plan, SSNs would be procured at a steady rate of two per year. Under the December 9, 2020, document, SSNs would be procured at a rate of three boats per year during the period FY2035-FY2041 and two and twothirds boats per year (in annual quantities of 2-3-3) during the period FY2042-FY2050. The June 17, 2021, document suggests that the SSN procurement would eventually be increased to something more than two boats per year. In assessing the future SSN force-level goal and procurement rate, factors that Congress may consider include but are not necessarily limited to the following: • U.S. national security strategy and national defense strategy and the contributions that SSNs make to fulfilling those strategies; • the funding that would be needed each year to procure SSNs and operate and support the SSN force and the potential impact of SSN-related funding requirements, given potential future U.S. defense levels, on funding available for other Navy or Department of Defense (DOD) programs; and • the capacity of the submarine construction industrial base to take on additional work that would be generated by proc uring an average of more than two SSNs per year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Navy began procuring Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class destroyers, also known as Aegis destroyers, in FY1985, and a total of 87 have been procured through FY2021, including two in FY2021. From FY1989 through FY2005, DDG-51s were procured in annual quantities of two to five ships per year. Since FY2010, they have been procured in annual quantities of one to three ships per year. DDG-51s are being procured in FY2018-FY2022 under a multiyear procurement (MYP) contract that Congress approved as part of its action on the Navy's FY2018 budget. DDG-51s procured in FY2017 and subsequent years are being built to a design called the Flight III design, which incorporates a new and more capable radar called the SPY-6 radar. The Navy's proposed FY2022 budget requests the procurement of one DDG-51 in FY2022, rather than the two DDG-51s that are called for in FY2022 under the FY2018-FY2022 DDG-51 MYP contract, and that were projected for FY2022 under the Navy's FY2021 budget submission. A key issue for Congress for the DDG-51 program in FY2022 is whether to fund the procurement of one DDG-51, two DDG-51s, or some other number of DDG-51s (such as zero or three). When procured at a rate of two per year, DDG-51s cost roughly $2.0 billion each. Due to the reduced production economies of scale that would occur at a production rate of one ship per year, the one DDG-51 requested for procurement in FY2022 has an estimated cost of $2,401.7 million (i.e., about $2.4 billion). Under the Navy's proposed FY2022 budget, the one requested DDG-51 would receive $384.9 million in prior-year Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) funding--a type of advance procurement (AP) funding that occurs under an MYP contract. Taking this prior -year EOQ funding into account, the Navy's proposed FY2022 budget requests the remaining $2,016.8 million (i.e., about $2.0 billion) needed to complete the ship's estimated procurement cost of $2,401.7 million. The Navy's proposed FY2022 budget also requests $45.8 million in cost-tocomplete funding to pay for cost growth on DDG-51s procured in prior years, bringing the total amount of procurement funding requested for the DDG-51 program to $2,062.5 million (i.e., about $2.1 billion) Procuring one DDG-51 rather than two DDG-51s in FY2022 would prevent the Navy from fulfilling its obligations in the final year of the FY2018-FY2022 DDG-51 MYP contract. Navy officials state that as a result, the Navy would need to pay a $33 million penalty to the DDG-51 shipbuilders (unless the Navy and the shipbuilders were to reach an agreement to amend the terms of the MYP contract). Navy officials have stated that requesting procurement of one DDG-51 rather than two DDG-51s was an affordability measure--a means of helping the Navy remain within its budget topline while meeting funding needs for other Navy programs. Procuring a second DDG-51 in FY2022 is the number one item on the Navy's FY2022 Unfunded Priorities List (UPL)--the service's list of programs it would prefer to be funded in FY2022, if additional funding were to become available. The UPL states that procuring two DDG-51s rather than one DDG-51 in FY2022 would require an additional $1,659.2 million (i.e., about $1.7 billion) in shipbuilding funding. That figure is not the cost of the second DDG-51--the second DDG-51's procurement cost would be roughly $2.0 billion. Adding the second DDG-51, however, would reduce the estimated procurement cost of the first DDG-51 due to the resulting increased production economies of scale. The figure of $1,659.2 million is thus the net increase in shipbuilding funding that would be needed to procure two DDG-51s rather than one DDG-51 in FY2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Navy began procuring Constellation (FFG-62) class frigates (FFGs) in FY2020, and wants to procure a total of 20 FFG-62s. Congress funded the first FFG-62 in FY2020 at a cost of $1,281.2 million (i.e., about $1.3 billion) and the second in FY2021 at a cost of $1,053.1 million (i.e., about $1.1 billion). The Navy's proposed FY2022 budget requests $1,087.9 million (i.e., about $1.1 billion) for the procurement of the third FFG-62, and $69.1 million in advance procurement (AP) funding for the fourth and fifth FFG-62s, which are programmed for procurement in one or more future fiscal years. Four industry teams competed for the FFG-62 program. On April 30, 2020, the Navy announced that it had awarded the FFG-62 contract to the team led by Fincantieri/Marinette Marine (F/MM) of Marinette, WI. F/MM was awarded a fixed-price incentive (firm target) contract for Detail Design and Construction (DD&C) for up to 10 ships in the program--the lead ship plus nine option ships. The other three industry teams reportedly competing for the program were led by Austal USA of Mobile, AL; General Dynamics/Bath Iron Works (GD/BIW) of Bath, ME; and Huntington Ingalls Industries/Ingalls Shipbuilding (HII/Ingalls) of Pascagoula, MS. As part of its action on the Navy's FY2020 and FY2021 budgets, Congress has passed provisions relating to U.S. content requirements for certain components of each FFG-62 class ship, as well as a provision requiring the Navy to conduct a land-based test program for the FFG-62's engineering plant (i.e., its propulsion plant and associated machinery). The FFG-62 program presents several potential oversight issues for Congress, including the following: • the Navy's emerging force-level goals for frigates and other surface combatants; • the accuracy of the Navy's estimated unit procurement cost for FFG-62s, particularly when compared to the known unit procurement costs of other recent U.S. surface combatants; • the potential impact of the COVID-19 situation on the execution of U.S. military shipbuilding programs, including the FFG-62 program; • whether to build FFG-62s at a single shipyard at any one time (the Navy's baseline plan), or at two or three shipyards; • whether the Navy has appropriately defined the required capabilities and growth margin for FFG-62s; • whether to take any further legislative action regarding U.S. content requirements for the FFG-62 program; • technical risk in the FFG-62 program; and • the potential industrial-base impacts of the FFG-62 program for shipyards and supplier firms in the context of other Navy and Coast Guard shipbuilding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Navy's Columbia (SSBN-826) class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) program is a program to design and build a class of 12 new SSBNs to replace the Navy's current force of 14 aging Ohio-class SSBNs. Since 2013, the Navy has consistently identified the Columbia-class program as the Navy's top priority program. The Navy procured the first Columbia-class boat in FY2021 and wants to procure the second boat in the class in FY2024. The Navy's proposed FY2022 budget requests $3,003.0 (i.e., $3.0 billion) in procurement funding for the first Columbia-class boat and $1,644.0 million (i.e., about $1.6 billion) in advance procurement (AP) funding for the second boat, for a combined FY2022 procurement and AP funding request of $4,647.0 million (i.e., about $4.6 billion). The Navy's FY2022 budget submission estimates the procurement cost of the first Columbiaclass boat at $15,030.5 million (i.e., about $15.0 billion) in then-year dollars, including $6,557.6 million (i.e., about $6.60 billion) in costs for plans, meaning (essentially) the detail design/nonrecurring engineering (DD/NRE) costs for the Columbia class. (It is a long-standing Navy budgetary practice to incorporate the DD/NRE costs for a new class of ship into the total procurement cost of the first ship in the class.) Excluding costs for plans, the estimated hands-on construction cost of the first ship is $8,473.0 million (i.e., about $8.5 billion). The Navy's FY2021 budget submission estimated the total procurement cost of a 12-ship class at $109.8 billion in then-year dollars. Issues for Congress for the Columbia-class program include the following: • the risk--due to the COVID-19 pandemic, technical challenges, and/or fundingrelated issues--of a delay in designing and building the lead Columbia-class boat, which could put at risk the Navy's ability to have the boat ready for its first scheduled deterrent patrol in 2031, when it is to deploy in the place of the first retiring Ohio-class SSBN; • whether the Navy in its annual budget submission has accurately priced the work it is proposing to do in the Columbia-class program during that fiscal year; • the risk of cost growth in the program; • the potential impact of the Columbia-class program on funding that will be available for other Navy programs, including other shipbuilding programs; and • potential industrial-base challenges of building both Columbia-class boats and Virginia-class attack submarines (SSNs) at the same time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Names for Navy ships traditionally have been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the Navy, under the direction of the President and in accordance with rules prescribed by Congress. Rules for giving certain types of names to certain types of Navy ships have evolved over time. There have been exceptions to the Navy's ship-naming rules, particularly for the purpose of naming a ship for a person when the rule for that type of ship would have called for it to be named for something else. Some observers have perceived a breakdown in, or corruption of, the rules for naming Navy ships. Section 370 of the FY2021 NDAA (H.R. 6395/P.L. 116-283 of January 1, 2021) established a commission regarding the removal and renaming of certain assets of the Department of Defense (including ships) that commemorate the Confederate States of America or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America. For ship types now being procured for the Navy, or recently procured for the Navy, naming rules can be summarized as follows: • The first and second SSBN-826 class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) have been named Columbia (in honor of the District of Columbia) and Wisconsin. The Navy has not stated the naming rule for this class of ships. • Until recently, Virginia (SSN-774) class attack submarines have generally been named for states, but the four most recently named Virginia-class boats have instead been named in honor of earlier U.S. Navy attack submarines. • Of the Navy's 15 most recently named aircraft carriers, 10 have been named for past U.S. Presidents and 2 for Members of Congress. • Destroyers are being named for deceased members of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, including Secretaries of the Navy. • The first three FFG-62 class frigates have been named Constellation, Congress, and Chesapeake, in honor of three of the first six U.S. Navy ships authorized by Congress in 1794. The Navy has not stated the naming rule for this class of ships. • Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs) were named for regionally important U.S. cities and communities. • Amphibious assault ships are being named for important battles in which U.S. Marines played a prominent part and for famous earlier U.S. Navy ships that were not named for battles. • San Antonio (LPD-17) class amphibious ships are being named for major U.S. cities and communities and cities and communities attacked on September 11, 2001. • John Lewis (TAO-205) class oilers are being named for people who fought for civil rights and human rights. • Expeditionary Fast Transports (EPFs) are being named for small U.S. cities. • Expeditionary Transport Dock s (ESDs) and Expeditionary Sea Bases (ESBs) are being named for famous names or places of historical significance to U.S. Marines. • Navajo (TATS-6) class towing, salvage, and rescue ships are being named for prominent Native Americans or Native American tribes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report provides background information and potential issues for U.S. Congress on the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the U.S. Navy's Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program. Topics discussed include Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers, Aegis ashore sites, and MDA procurement and research and development funding for fiscal year 2022.

The Navy has been procuring Virginia (SSN-774) class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) since FY1998, and a total of 34 have been procured through FY2021. Since FY2011, Virginia-class boats have been procured at a rate of two per year. Virginia-class boats scheduled for procurement in FY2019-FY2023 are being procured under a multiyear procurement (MYP) contract. Most Virginia-class boats procured in FY2019 and subsequent years are to be built with the Virginia Payload Module (VPM), an additional, 84-foot-long, mid-body section equipped with four large-diameter, vertical launch tubes for storing and launching additional Tomahawk missiles or other payloads. When procured at a rate of two boats per year, VPM-equipped Virginia-class SSNs have an estimated procurement cost of about $3.45 billion per boat. The Navy's proposed budget requests the procurement of the 35th and 36th Virginia-class boats. The two boats have an estimated combined procurement cost of $6,915.8 million (i.e., about $6.9 billion). The two boats have received $1,888.3 million in prior-year "regular" advance procurement (AP) funding, and $778.2 million in Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) funding, which is an additional kind of AP funding that can occur under an MYP contract. The Navy's proposed FY2022 budget requests the remaining $4,249.2 million needed to complete the two boats' estimated combined procurement cost of $6,915.8 million. The Navy's proposed FY2022 budget also requests $2,120.4 million in AP funding for Virginia-class boats to be procured in one or more future fiscal years, bringing the total amount of procurement and AP funding requested for the Virginia-class program to $6,369.6 million (i.e., about $6.4 billion). A key issue for Congress concerns the SSN force-level goal and procurement rate. The Navy's current force-level goal, which was released in December 2016, calls for achieving a maintaining a fleet of 355 manned ships, including 66 SSNs. On December 9, 2020, the Navy released a longrange Navy shipbuilding document that called for a Navy with 382 to 446 manned ships, including 72 to 78 SSNs, plus additional large surface and underwater unmanned vehicles (UVs). On June 17, 2021, the Navy released a long-range Navy shipbuilding document that calls for a Navy with 321 to 372 manned ships, including 66 to 72 SSNs, plus additional large surface and underwater UVs. Under the Navy's FY2020 30-year (FY2020-FY2049) shipbuilding plan, SSNs would be procured at a steady rate of two per year. Under the December 9, 2020, document, SSNs would be procured at a rate of three boats per year during the period FY2035-FY2041 and two and twothirds boats per year (in annual quantities of 2-3-3) during the period FY2042-FY2050. The June 17, 2021, document suggests that the SSN procurement would eventually be increased to something more than two boats per year. In assessing the future SSN force-level goal and procurement rate, factors that Congress may consider include but are not necessarily limited to the following: ï,· U.S. national security strategy and national defense strategy and the contributions that SSNs make to fulfilling those strategies; ï,· the funding that would be needed each year to procure SSNs and operate and support the SSN force and the potential impact of SSN-related funding requirements, given potential future U.S. defense levels, on funding available for other Navy or Department of Defense (DOD) programs; and ï,· the capacity of the submarine construction industrial base to take on additional work that would be generated by proc uring an average of more than two SSNs per year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Navy's Columbia (SSBN-826) class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) program is a program to design and build a class of 12 new SSBNs to replace the Navy's current force of 14 aging Ohio-class SSBNs. Since 2013, the Navy has consistently identified the Columbia-class program as the Navy's top priority program. The Navy procured the first Columbia-class boat in FY2021 and wants to procure the second boat in the class in FY2024. The Navy's proposed FY2022 budget requests $3,003.0 (i.e., $3.0 billion) in procurement funding for the first Columbia-class boat and $1,644.0 million (i.e., about $1,.6 billion) in advance procurement (AP) funding for the second boat, for a combined FY2022 procurement and AP funding request of $4,647.0 million (i.e., about $4.6 billion). The Navy's FY2022 budget submission estimates the procurement cost of the first Columbiaclass boat at $15,030.5 million (i.e., about $15.0 billion) in then-year dollars, including $6,557.6 million (i.e., about $6.60 billion) in costs for plans, meaning (essentially) the detail design/nonrecurring engineering (DD/NRE) costs for the Columbia class. (It is a long-standing Navy budgetary practice to incorporate the DD/NRE costs for a new class of ship into the total procurement cost of the first ship in the class.) Excluding costs for plans, the estimated hands-on construction cost of the first ship is $8,473.0 million (i.e., about $8.5 billion). The Navy's FY2021 budget submission estimated the total procurement cost of a 12-ship class at $109.8 billion in then-year dollars. Issues for Congress for the Columbia-class program include the following: ï,· the risk-due to the COVID-19 pandemic, technical challenges, and/or fundingrelated issues-of a delay in designing and building the lead Columbia-class boat, which could put at risk the Navy's ability to have the boat ready for its first scheduled deterrent patrol in 2031, when it is to deploy in the place of the first retiring Ohio-class SSBN; ï,· whether the Navy in its annual budget submission has accurately priced the work it is proposing to do in the Columbia-class program during that fiscal year; ï,· the risk of cost growth in the program; ï,· the potential impact of the Columbia-class program on funding that will be available for other Navy programs, including other shipbuilding programs; and ï,· potential industrial-base challenges of building both Columbia-class boats and Virginia-class attack submarines (SSNs) at the same time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A chart is presented that shows perspectives from the U.S. Navy, a Defense Science Board task force, and industry regarding the approximate laser power levels necessary to affect various categories of targets.

The article presents a report of the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS), which reveals that China's military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort, has become the top focus of U.S. defense planning and budgeting. It mentions China's navy is viewed as posing a major challenge to the U.S. Navy's ability to achieve and maintain wartime control of blue-water ocean areas in the Western Pacific.

The article presents a report of the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS), that talks about the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program, that is carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the U.S. Navy. It mentions that the BMD program gives Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers a capability for conducting BMD operations.

The article presents a report of the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS), that talks about the U.S. Navy's Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) and DDG-1000 class destroyers. It mentions DDG-51s are being procured under a multiyear procurement (MYP) contract that the U.S. Congress approved as part of its action on the Navy's budget.

The article offers information on issues of concern for the U.S. Congress relating to the Virginia (SSN-774) class nuclear-powered attack submarine program. It discusses a history of the U.S. Navy's procurement of SSN-774, the concern of the U.S. Congress on the SSN procurement rate per year, and the effect of Congressional decisions on the U.S. Navy capabilities and funding requirements.

The article provides an overview of the background of the U.S. Navy Columbia (SSBN-826) class ballistic missile submarine program and issues of interest to the Congress. Topics discussed include the objective of the program to replace the aging Ohio-class SSBN fleet, performance of the strategic nuclear deterrence mission of SSBN, and classification of the SSBN program as the top priority initiative according to Navy officials.

In an era of renewed great power competition, China's military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort, has become the top focus of U.S. defense planning and budgeting. China's navy, which China has been steadily modernizing for more than 25 years, since the early to mid-1990s, has become a formidable military force within China's near-seas region, and it is conducting a growing number of operations in more-distant waters, including the broader waters of the Western Pacific, the Indian Ocean, and waters around Europe. China's navy is viewed as posing a major challenge to the U.S. Navy's ability to achieve and maintain wartime control of blue-water ocean areas in the Western Pacific--the first such challenge the U.S. Navy has faced since the end of the Cold War--and forms a key element of a Chinese challenge to the longstanding status of the United States as the leading military power in the Western Pacific. China's naval modernization effort encompasses a wide array of platform and weapon acquisition programs, including anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs), anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs), submarines, surface ships, aircraft, unmanned vehicles (UVs), and supporting C4ISR (command and control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) systems. China's naval modernization effort also includes improvements in maintenance and logistics, doctrine, personnel quality, education and training, and exercises. China's military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort, is assessed as being aimed at developing capabilities for addressing the situation with Taiwan militarily, if need be; for achieving a greater degree of control or domination over China's near-seas region, particularly the South China Sea; for enforcing China's view that it has the right to regulate foreign military activities in its 200-mile maritime exclusive economic zone (EEZ); for defending China's commercial sea lines of communication (SLOCs), particularly those linking China to the Persian Gulf; for displacing U.S. influence in the Western Pacific; and for asserting China's status as the leading regional power and a major world power. Consistent with these goals, observers believe China wants its navy to be capable of acting as part of a Chinese anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) force--a force that can deter U.S. intervention in a conflict in China's near-seas region over Taiwan or some other issue, or failing that, delay the arrival or reduce the effectiveness of intervening U.S. forces. Additional missions for China's navy include conducting maritime security (including antipiracy) operations, evacuating Chinese nationals from foreign countries when necessary, and conducting humanitarian assistance/disaster response (HA/DR) operations. The U.S. Navy in recent years has taken a number of actions to counter China's naval modernization effort. Among other things, the U.S. Navy has shifted a greater percentage of its fleet to the Pacific; assigned its most-capable new ships and aircraft and its best personnel to the Pacific; maintained or increased general presence operations, training and developmental exercises, and engagement and cooperation with allied and other navies in the Indo-Pacific; increased the planned future size of the Navy; initiated, increased, or accelerated numerous programs for developing new military technologies and acquiring new ships, aircraft, unmanned vehicles, and weapons; begun development of new operational concepts (i.e., new ways to employ Navy and Marine Corps forces) for countering Chinese maritime A2/AD forces; and signaled that the Navy in coming years will shift to a more-distributed fleet architecture that will feature a smaller portion of larger ships, a larger portion of smaller ships, and a substantially greater use of unmanned vehicles. The issue for Congress is whether the U.S. Navy is responding appropriately to China's naval modernization effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Navy Columbia (SSBN-826) which is a class of 12 new ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to replace the Navy's current force of 14 aging Ohio-class SSBNs. It mentions Navy's Fiscal 2021 budget submission estimates the total procurement cost of the 12-ship class and Government Accountability Office (GAO) report assessing selected major U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) weapon acquisition programs. It also mentions potential impact of the Columbia-class program on funding.

The article focuses on the U.S. Navy has been procuring Virginia (SSN-774) class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) and vertical launch tubes for storing and launching additional Tomahawk missiles or other payloads. It also mentions Congress regarding the Virginia-class program include the estimated procurement cost of the boat requested for procurement in Fiscal 2021. It also mentions period of weakened conventional deterrence against potential adversaries such as China.

The article discusses the efforts of the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to develop conventional prompt global strike (CPGS) weapons. It mentions that the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy pursued programs that would lead to the deployment of conventional warheads on their long-range ballistic missiles in the U.S. It reports the rise in the DOD's 2021 budget request for funding of the Navy's Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) program.

The article provides background to the U.S. Congress on Navy's ship-naming rules. It mentions that Ohio replacement ballistic missile submarine has been named Columbia in honor of the District of Columbia. It also mentions that of the Navy's 15 most recently named aircraft carriers, 10 have been named for past U.S. Presidents and 2 for Members of Congress.