US Navy Lays Out 30 Year Fleet Plan

From DefenseNews

U.S. Navy Lays Out 30-Year Fleet Plan

By CHRISTOPHER P. CAVAS

The U.S. Navy plans to operate 11 aircraft carriers for the next quarter century, according to a new 30-year force structure plan sent to Congress on March 23. A copy of the report was obtained by DefenseNews.com.

The plan also shows the service hopes to build up to a dozen of the new DD(X) destroyers — currently estimated to cost about $3 billion a copy — and up to 18 CG(X) cruisers, a derivative of the DD(X) devoted to ballistic missile defense.

The plan, signed by Navy Secretary Gordon England, is described as an “interim report” on ship levels through fiscal 2035. England, in letters to Congress obtained by DefenseNews.com, said a “final detailed report” will be available this summer that will “more thoroughly address build rates with regard to important issues such as fiscal constraints, industrial base and Global War on Terrorism challenges.”

The Navy prepared two plans: one for a fleet of 325 ships, another for a smaller fleet of 260 ships. The range of numbers reflects the unknown outcome of new technologies, manning concepts and forward-basing requirements, Adm. Vern Clark, chief of naval operations, explained in congressional testimony last month.

Key elements of the new force structure plan include:

• Attack submarines: The Navy plans to maintain a fleet of between 41 and 45 nuclear attack submarines, including four SSGN cruise missile conversions.

• DD(X)/CG(X): The plan calls for eight to 12 DD(X) destroyers by 2035, along with 15 to 18 CG(X) cruisers.

• LCS: The plan shows 63 to 82 Littoral Combat Ships by 2035.

• Sea Basing: The plan calls for 19 to 25 Sea Base ships by 2035, including 14-20 Maritime Prepositioning Force (Future) ships. Both the big and little fleets call for two High Speed Sealift ships and three connector ships to shuttle between the ships and forces ashore.