Delivery of the lead Columbia-class submarine is now expected to occur at least a year later than initially planned, while Virginia-class submarines are more than two years behind their contracted schedule, according to a Navy shipbuilding review that identifies significant schedule challenges across the service's ship and submarine portfolio.
This 45-day review, directed by Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro in January, aimed to gauge the health of the domestic shipbuilding industry, evaluate key acquisition programs and provide recommendations for bolstering the shipbuilding industrial base and reducing schedule risk.
A one-page summary of the report’s findings, obtained by Inside Defense, indicates the lead Columbia submarine (SSBN-826) is approximately 12-16 months behind schedule while block IV and V Virginia boats are estimated to be 36 and 24 months late respectively.
Additionally, the future Ford-class aircraft carrier Enterprise (CVN-80) is facing an 18-to-26-month delay, and the lead Constellation-class frigate (FFG-62) is three years behind schedule.
The document points to a wide range of factors responsible for these delays, including “design maturity, first-of-class challenges, transition to production and design workforce” for lead vessels in the Columbia and frigate programs.
Additional factors impacting follow-on vessel performance across the portfolio include supply chain and skilled workforce challenges as well as acquisition and contract strategy, the document adds.
The document lists four approaches for improvement: “generate [a] plan to address atrophy in national design and engineering workforce; refine acquisition and contract strategies; reimagine shipyard and skilled labor as a national asset; assess Navy workforce posture; and budget for investments to improve performance and minimize delays.”
Congress’ fiscal year 2024 appropriations package, passed in March after several months of delays, cites special concern for the cost and schedule performance of both the Navy’s submarine programs and directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct a comprehensive review of the Virginia program.
Cost overruns on Virginia construction are expected to surpass $3 billion in the coming years, according to an explanatory statement accompanying the appropriation.
The Navy’s fiscal year 2025 budget request seeks $32.4 billion to buy six battle force ships and looks to procure only one Virginia submarine in FY-25 before returning to its established rate of two vessels per year for the remainder of the five-year future years defense program and beyond. Navy officials attributed the FY-25 reduction to industry’s inability to keep up with demand.
The budget looks to invest $3.9 billion in the submarine industrial base in FY-25 and $11.1 billion across the FYDP -- an increase of almost $9 billion compared to the FY-24 budget’s five-year plan. These investments are expected to improve Virginia production to a rate of two vessels per year by FY-28, according to service officials.