Columbia-Class: The Nuclear Missile Submarines The Navy Desperately Needs
Building the Columbia-class has been the Navy’s top shipbuilding priority since at least 2013. Currently, the Navy plans to build 12 boats to replace the 14 Ohio class.
By the time the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines come online around 2031, their immediate predecessors will be approaching 50 years of service. By contrast, the preceding George Washington and Benjamin Franklin classes served 30 years.
Building the Columbia class has been the Navy’s top shipbuilding priority since at least 2013. Currently, the Navy plans to build 12 boats to replace the 14 Ohio class.
Cost estimates show that like most Defense Department programs the Columbia class has been hit with serious cost overruns. The first boat, the USS Columbia (SSBN-826), was procured in the FY 2021 budget. The FY 2024 budget included a $3.4 billion budgetary request. The General Accountability Office warns that the program suffers from potential resource misallocation. It was estimated in 2021 that the entire program could cost $114.1 billion.
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2023/09/columbia-class-the-nuclear-missile-submarines-the-navy-desperately-needs/
