CDR Salamander - What are the details for 18 battle force and 16 non-battle force ships?

On Monday, we discussed the announcement earlier this month of 34 ships and the $65.8 billion coming Navy’s way to buy them.

What I’ve been trying to get a firm grasp on are what those 18 battle force ships and 16 non-battle force ships will be.

I thought by now I’d find a “Ref. A” for those numbers, but no joy. So, I reached out to a real professional and friend to the blog (who will remain on the DL) for some help. Trust me on this—if anyone can figure it out, he can.

Even he admits that it’s hard to find the numbers. The biggest issue is that the only budget document for ships we can get ahold of right now is the Department of War’s Procurement Programs (P-1) Brief for fiscal year 2027. If you need a headache, you can dig around in it yourself, but I think that is something best left to specialists.

I trust his work without question, and here is what he sifted from it.

18 Battle Force Ships:

• 1 x Columbia SSBN

• 2 x SSN

• 1 x DDG-51

• 1 x FF(X)

• 1 x LHA

• 1 x LPD

• 1 x T-AGOS SURTASS

• 2 x T-AO

• 2 x T-AS(X)

• 6 x LSMs

16 Non-Battle Force Ships:

• 1 x special mission ship of unknown capability

• 1 x strategic sealift (new)

• 4 x ship-to-shore connectors

• 2 x LCAC SLEPS

• 1 x bulk fuel vessel

• 5 x fireboats

• 1 x sealift vessel (used)

• 1 x T-AH

What got my attention at the front? The five fireboats and the strategic sealift. Is that the Light Replenishment Oiler (TAOL) program, previously called the Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS)? I really should discuss that program at some point, especially in light of my comments yesterday…but one post a day, my friends: one post a day.

If you hear any more details about the above list, let us know in the comments. All that being said, let’s smile and cut steel...and extend this to a couple of destroyer tenders while we are at it.

UPDATE: the special mission ship is probably a replacement for this.

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