US Navy to slash the number of Virginia-class attack subs in long-delayed Block V con

[Onkel Neal]

US Navy to slash the number of Virginia-class attack subs in long-delayed Block V contract

The U.S. Navy is preparing to sign a contract for nine Virginia-class attack submarines, eight of which will include a 84-foot section that boosts the boat’s strike missile capacity, which is down from 11 boats planned for in this year’s budget submission, Defense News has confirmed with sources familiar with the pending contract.


The news, which was first reported by Bloomberg, is the latest jolt to the Virginia-class program that has seen creeping delays and slipping profits in recent years caused by labor issues and a strained submarine industrial supply base. The contract was originally intended to be signed by October of last year, at the start of the 2019 fiscal year, according to Navy budget documents.

[ikalugin]

Still more than planned Yasen-Ms, or Astutes or Baracudas.

[Politenessman]

Originally Posted by ikalugin

Still more than planned Yasen-Ms, or Astutes or Baracudas.

None of the countries buying or operating them have the same global commitments as the US.

[ikalugin]

Originally Posted by Politenessman

None of the countries buying or operating them have the same global commitments as the US.

Yes and no, while say Russia or UK or France individually do not have the same commitments (even though for UK and France the geography is very diverse), UK and France are US allies and do share the load.

So when US has plenty of global (UK, France) and regional (Japan, other Europeans etc) allies, when US orders more SSNs in a subclass than others do in an entire class, when USN is set to operate (and currently operates) more SSNs than the rest of the world combined, I do not see how one can justify complaining or insufficient procurement.

[Mr Quatro]

Lets just hope we don't run out of qualified sailors to man them who need to be mentally alert even before they become qualified to wear their dolphins.

It's asking a lot of a sailor to go 90 days FBM and even longer SSN without sex, without female companionship, without a pool table, live football games
void of any recreational activities
(oh excuse me they have a gym onboard)

[ETR3(SS)]

Originally Posted by Mr Quatro

Lets just hope we don't run out of qualified sailors to man them who need to be mentally alert even before they become qualified to wear their dolphins.

It's asking a lot of a sailor to go 90 days FBM and even longer SSN without sex, without female companionship, without a pool table, live football games
void of any recreational activities
(oh excuse me they have a gym onboard)

Been there, done that. It's really not that hard.

[moose1am]

We need more and BETTER subs.