Navy will extend life on one Los Angeles-class submarine, assess four others later

The Navy plans to extend the service life of one Los Angeles-class submarine by 10 years and will consider doing the same for four others based on how successfully it refuels the first vessel, according to senior Navy officials.

Rear Adm. Michael Jabaley, program executive officer for submarines, testified yesterday to the House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee that Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered submarines are not designed for "ease of refueling." But the Navy has become more confident in its ability to refuel the Los Angeles class based on its work with the Ohio class submarines, he said.

"The biggest technical risks are taking a ship that was going to serve to 33 years and extending it for an additional 10 years," Jabaley said.

He also said the service decided to reassess its assumptions about refueling the vessels because the Navy already has the necessary materials to do so.

Navy acquisition executive Hondo Geurts told the subcommittee the service would consider refueling four more Los Angeles-class submarines depending on its success with the first vessel.

Geurts and Jabaley testified alongside Rear Adm. John Tammen, director of undersea warfare in the office of the chief of naval operations (N97), about the submarine industrial base.