A top
U.S. Navy official is defending the service's plans to replace its Ohio-class
ballistic missile submarine fleet, saying the Navy has the right design and
boat numbers to execute the mission for decades to come.
"We
conducted a detailed analysis of many force structure options," says Rear
Adm. Barry Bruner, Navy undersea warfare director, in a recent blog. "A
force of 12 Ohio Replacement nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines
(SSBN) with 16 missile tubes satisfies national strategic deterrent
requirements at the most affordable cost. Twelve Ohio Replacement SSBNs meet
at-sea strategic patrol requirements and sustain this requirement while some of
the SSBNs are unavailable due to planned maintenance."
Bruner
says, "Reduced-force options [that] we considered failed to meet the
current at-sea and nuclear employment requirements, increased risk for force
survivability, and limited the flexibility in response to an uncertain
strategic future. A 12-ship, 16-missile-tube SSBN force has sufficient, not
excessive, flexibility and capacity."
He
acknowledges that because ship construction of the Ohio Replacement shifted to
2021 from 2019, there will be fewer than 12 SSBNs from 2029 to 2042 as the
Ohio-class retires and Ohio replacement ships join the fleet.
Addressing
recent critics of the shortfalls, he says, "During this time frame no
major SSBN overhauls are planned, and a force of 10 SSBNs will support current
at-sea presence requirements."
However,
he says, "This provides a low margin to compensate for unforeseen issues
that may result in reduced SSBN availability. The reduced SSBN availability
during this time frame reinforces the importance of remaining on schedule with
the Ohio Replacement program to meet future strategic commitments. As the Ohio
Replacement ships begin their mid-life overhauls in 2049, 12 SSBNs will be
required to offset ships conducting planned maintenance."
He also
says the Navy and Pentagon are keeping a lid on proposed costs. "The
Department of Defense set an aggressive cost goal of $4.9 billion per hull
(calendar year 2010) as an average cost for hulls 2-12. To date, the Navy has
reduced costs by reducing specifications to the minimum necessary to meet
national strategic deterrent requirements, implementing modular construction design,
reusing the Trident II D5 Strategic Weapons System, and reusing Virginia- and
Ohio-class components where feasible. The Virginia-class construction program,
through aggressive management and collaboration between government and
industry, has developed into a model ship building program, continually coming
in under budget and ahead of schedule. Ohio Replacement design and construction
will build on this success."
Credit:
U.S. Navy
