US spends $125 billion to develop new submarines

The US Department of Defense has officially approved funding for the development of the country's new submarines, with a total value of up to 125 billion USD.

Photo: US Navy

The Vpk military news site on January 11 quoted Deputy Secretary of Defense and Director of the Pentagon's weapons procurement department, Mr. Frank Kendall, saying that the budget for developing new submarines to replace the Ohio-class submarines alone is 96 billion USD. 13 billion USD is for research and development activities, and other costs. The total budget for developing and testing submarines exceeds 125 billion USD.

It is the third most expensive US defense program, behind only the $379 billion F-35 fighter jet contract and the $153 billion ballistic missile defense network.

The program, called the “Ohio Replacement Plan,” aims to create a new generation of submarines with superior capabilities to replace the Ohio-class nuclear ballistic missile submarines currently in service with the US Navy and is expected to be completed by 2031.

General Dynamics Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding will handle the work.

In the current US Navy fleet, the Ohio is the only submarine capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Construction began in 1976 and the first Ohio-class submarines were commissioned into the US Navy in 1981.

The US initially planned to build 10 such submarines, but during construction the number of Ohio-class submarines increased to 18. The Columbia-class submarines, developed by General Dynamics Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding, are expected to replace the Ohio-class submarines in the coming decades.

Photo: Vpk.name

The Columbia-class submarine will weigh 20,810 tons, be 171 meters long and 13 meters wide. This is the largest submarine ever used by the US Navy, compared to the Ohio which weighs 18,750 tons, is 170 meters long and 43 meters wide. Like the Ohio, the crew of the Columbia-class will be 155 people.

The first ship of the Columbia class is expected to cost $14.5 billion, including $5.7 billion in design modifications and other costs, and $8.8 billion to build the ship.

Some experts believe that the number of Columbia-class ships built will likely be cut from 12 to 10 due to high costs.

According to TPO