The Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Maryland (SSBN 738) prepares to get underway for routine operations from Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., March 15, 2016. US Navy photo.
If the Navy is going to maintain its rate of building two Virginia-class attack submarines a year even while building the Ohio Replacement Program ballistic missile submarine, the service must make that decision sooner rather than later. Read More
The Virginia-class attack submarine Pre-commissioning unit John Warner (SSN 785) is moved to Newport News Shipbuilding’s floating dry dock on Sept. 1, 2014. Huntington Ingalls Industries photo.
The Navy released a Submarine Unified Build Strategy (SUBS) for concurrent Ohio Replacement ballistic missile submarine and Virginia Class attack submarine production through at least 2023, with the plan calling for Newport News Shipbuilding taking on additional responsibilities with the Virginia class to help General Dynamics Electric Boat more efficiently deliver the new class of boomers, service officials told USNI News on Monday. Read More
The Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Maryland (SSBN 738) , which along with the future USS South Dakota (SSN-790) has been used to test acoustic superiority measures, prepares to get underway for routine operations from Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., March 15, 2016. US Navy photo.
The submarine community is focused on maintaining access and boosting acoustic superiority after operating in relatively permissive environments for several years, two Navy officials told USNI News. Read More
The littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS-2) deploys a remote multi-mission vehicle (RMMV) while testing the ship’s mine countermeasures mission package (MCM). US Navy Photo
THE PENTAGON — The Navy has officially canceled the Remote Minehunting System acquisition program, but the AN/AQS-20A advanced minehunting sonar within the RMS program may live on in another capacity, a senior defense official told reporters Thursday. Read More
The Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Toledo (SSN-769), assigned to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 54, transits through the Persian Gulf on Jan. 21, 2016. US Navy photo.
This post has been updated to include additional information about potential advanced propulsion system development.
The Navy won’t begin buying its next-generation attack submarine until 2034, but researchers are already hard at work on two key components of the SSN(X) program: an advanced propulsion system for quieter operations, and the ability to control multiple unmanned underwater vehicles at once for extended influence. Read More
The emphasis in the Fiscal Year 2017 $583 billion Pentagon spending request is to deliver effects from range, knowing innovation is not just new technologies but also how to better use existing ones and leverage areas of sanctuary—including at sea or underwater—to deter potential adversaries, a senior Pentagon budget official said on Monday. Read More
A Raytheon SM-6 launched from an Aegis guided missile destroyer. US Navy Photo
The Navy fared well during late-in-the-game Fiscal Year 2017 budget negotiations with the Defense Department, despite a widespread initial concern about cuts to the Littoral Combat Ship/Frigate program, Navy leadership told USNI News. Read More
Sailors man the phone and distance line aboard the Arleigh Burke-Class guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG-57) on Nov. 7, 2014. US Navy Photo
This is the final version of this post.
PENTAGON — The Department of the Navy’s Fiscal Year 2017 lower-than-expected budget submission follows closely with an overall Department of Defense drive to build higher end warfighting capabilities — but at a cost, according to budget documents released on Tuesday. Read More
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter speaks at a press conference on May 1, 2015. US Navy Photo
This post has been updated with additional information from Ash Carter’s presentation.
WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Ash Carter will release a defense budget next week that increases spending on the current fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria but primarily postures the force to succeed against a future high-end threat. Read More
An EA-18G Growler, assigned to the “Zappers” of Electronic Attack Squadron 130, launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) on Jan 13, 2014. US Navy Photo
The House and Senate appropriations committees released a final Fiscal Year 2016 spending plan that meets the new requirements of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 and funds the Defense Department at $572.8 billion in base and Overseas Contingency Operation (OCO) funding. Read More
