Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress

Ronald O'Rourke
Specialist in Naval Affairs

The Navy's proposed FY2010 budget, submitted in May 2009, originally requested funding for eight new Navy ships. This total included two relatively expensive, high-capability combatant ships (a Virginia-class attack submarine and a DDG-51 class Aegis destroyer) and six relatively inexpensive ships (three Littoral Combat Ships [LCSs], two TAKE-1 auxiliary dry cargo ships, and one Joint High Speed Vessel [JHSV]). The Navy in September 2009 reduced the LCS request to two ships, reducing the total requested number of all types of ships to seven, of which five were relatively inexpensive LCSs, TAKE-1s, and JHSVs. The Navy's proposed FY2010 budget also requested procurement funding for certain Navy ships that were procured but not fully funded in prior years, and advance procurement funding for certain other Navy ships to be procured in future years. 

The Administration submitted its proposed FY2010 budget as a single-year budget only, without an accompanying Future Years Defense Plan (FYDP) for the period FY2010-FY2015. The Administration also did not submit a 30-year shipbuilding plan for the period FY2010-FY2039, as required by 10 USC 231. Consequently, relatively little budget-submission information was available in 2009 concerning the Administration's plans for Navy ship procurement in fiscal years after FY2010. 

December 2009 press reports provided information on a draft version of the FY2011 30-year shipbuilding plan that is to be submitted to Congress in early February 2010, in conjunction with the proposed FY2011 defense budget. Concerns about the Navy's prospective ability to afford its long-range shipbuilding plan, combined with year-to-year changes in Navy shipbuilding plans and significant cost growth and other problems in building certain new Navy ships, have led to strong concerns among some Members about the status of Navy shipbuilding and the potential future size and capabilities of the fleet. 

The explanatory statement for the FY2010 DOD appropriations act (H.R. 3326/P.L. 111-118 of December 19, 2009) funds the procurement of the revised total of seven ships requested by the Navy for FY2010.

Date of Report: December 22, 2009
Number of Pages: 43
Order Number: RL32665
Price: $29.95

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