USN orders 10 new Block IV Virginia class SSNs for record US$17.6 billion

[CougarKing]

Seems the voters in the shipbuilding unions of these yards might just re-elect their respective Congressmen since they have work for the foreseeable future...

US Navy Orders 10 New Submarines for Record $17.6B
Apr. 28, 2014 - 06:19PM  | 
By CHRISTOPHER P. CAVAS 

Defense News

WASHINGTON — The US Navy announced a record $17.645 billion contract Monday to build 10 new SSN 774 Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines. The order assures prime contractor General Dynamics Electric Boat and chief subcontractor Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding of submarine orders through 2018.


The fixed-price incentive multiyear contract for 10 Block IV subs provides for two ships per year over the five-year period, each yard delivering one sub per year. The two shipbuilders share equally in a teaming arrangement to build the subs, with each yard responsible for certain portions of each hull.

“The Block IV award is the largest shipbuilding contract in US Navy history in terms of total dollar value,” said Rear Adm. Dave Johnson, program executive officer for submarines at Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). It “builds upon the Virginia-class program’s successful Navy and industry relationship,” he added, calling the program “a model of acquisition excellence.”

(...EDITED)

 

[OldSolduer]

Interesting.

As I am not a submariner, I would like some of you submariners to explain to me (small words, short sentences, infantry here) what are the big advantages over the Los Angeles class boats.

Thanks

PS - I do read Tom Clancy stuff......

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Newer than the LA, cheaper than the Seawolf.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia-class_submarine

 

[cupper]

Yep, and it assures the Dems get seats in safe districts.

 

[Cdn Blackshirt]

I don't think the US would even allow it, but I would love to add 6 more units at that price for the Canadian military.

I think the coming decades are going to be more violent than most people anticipate.


Matthew.

 

[dimsum]

I don't think the US would even allow it, but I would love to add 6 more units at that price for the Canadian military.

I think the coming decades are going to be more violent than most people anticipate.


Matthew.

They're nuke boats.  Political considerations, infrastructure, manning, training....there's a boatload (pun intended) of issues we would run into if we tried to operate them.

 

[MarkOttawa]

So about C$ 2B per very sophisticated nuclear submarine oozing with weapons systems.  Meanwhile we are planning to spend C$1.3B for each of two Berlin-class JSS, effectively a pretty fancy  AOR:
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rpp/2012-2013/inst/dnd/st-ts04-eng.asp#jss-nsi

These subs have much bigger production run but this example does illustrate the absurd cost of building in Canada.


Mark
Ottawa

 

[OldSolduer]

They're nuke boats.  Political considerations, infrastructure, manning, training....there's a boatload (pun intended) of issues we would run into if we tried to operate them.

Nuke boats! Oh the tree huggers would love that! 

I mean they would show concern for the environment,,,,,..right?

 

[Infanteer]

Clearly, for a military thinking of axing F-16s or A-10s, they ain't that broke....

 

[Edward Campbell]

They're nuke boats.  Political considerations, infrastructure, manning, training....there's a boatload (pun intended) of issues we would run into if we tried to operate them.

One of the things that killed Minister Perrin Bearty's 1987 White Paper proposal for nuclear submarines was that the authors (not from NDHQ) failed to include infrastructure costs. They would be HUGE, dwarfing the cost of several boats ... and all the other issues Dimsum listed are nuke sub killers, too.

 

[cupper]

Nuke boats! Oh the tree huggers would love that! 

I mean they would show concern for the environment,,,,,..right?

But if you put the argument this way, that it would eliminate any carbon emissions into the atmosphere, or more importantly into the oceans when running submerged, I think that they would buy into it. ;D

 

[tomahawk6]

If Canada were to buy nuke attack boats,nothing says that they would have to be based in Canada.

 

[Journeyman]

If Canada were to buy nuke boats, the USN's ASW people wouldn't have their periodic lessons in humility trying to find a diesel boat. 

 

[cupper]

If Canada were to buy nuke boats, the USN's ASW people wouldn't have their periodic lessons in humility trying to find a diesel boat. 

How many US carriers have we "sunk" anyway? >

 

[tomahawk6]

How many of those boats are seaworthy ? ;D

 

[Robert0288]

Since they're primarly role is to be underwater, I would say they are all seaworthy. 

 

[tomahawk6]

Sorry I thought there were still mechanical issues that prevent them to be deployed.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

There are.  At least on the one.

 

[CougarKing]

10 subs for the price of Nine?

Military.com

Navy Secretary Offers Thanks for Sub Cost Cuts
Associated Press | Sep 18, 2014

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus has thanked Electric Boat and its workers for helping drive down the cost of building big-ticket submarines.

The Day of New London reports that Mabus ended a tour of the Virginia-class submarine Illinois on Wednesday by thanking EB executives and workers for helping drive down the cost of submarine construction.

He says it allowed the Navy to sign a $17.6 billion contract this year to build 10 Virginia-class submarines in the next five years.

Mabus says the result is 10 submarines for the price of nine.

(...EDITED)