US Navy’s submarine program full of gaping holes

The US Navy’s Columbia-class nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) program is perilously behind schedule, raising concerns about the service’s ability to replace aging Ohio-class SSBNs on time to maintain nuclear deterrence amid rising tensions with China.

Last month, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report saying that the Columbia-class program faces significant challenges, including delays, cost overruns and performance risks that jeopardize its timeline.

The first Columbia SSBN was initially planned for delivery by April 2027 but is now expected between October 2028 and February 2029, potentially affecting its planned availability for operations in 2030, according to the GAO report.

It also points out that persistent problems like subpar construction performance, delays in work instructions and material shortages have caused significant cost overruns in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The GAO report says that the Columbia-class shipbuilder, Electric Boat, has consistently fallen short of cost and schedule targets and warns that the contractor’s optimistic recovery plan may be unrealistic.

It also says that the US Navy’s US$2.6 billion investment in the submarine supplier base, meant to accelerate production, lacks consistent performance tracking, raising concerns about its effectiveness.

The report says that despite efforts to mitigate these problems, further risks in final assembly and testing could exacerbate delays and costs. The GAO report mentions that without better oversight and revised cost estimates, the US Navy may face operational gaps in its nuclear deterrence strategy, increasing reliance on aging Ohio-class SSBNs whose service lives may now need risky extensions.

A US