Ronald O'Rourke
Specialist in Naval Affairs
The Navy’s proposed FY2014 budget requests funding for the procurement of 8 new battle force ships (i.e., ships that count against the Navy’s goal for achieving and maintaining a fleet of 306 ships). The 8 ships include two Virginia-class attack submarines, one DDG-51 class Aegis destroyer, four Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs), and one Mobile Landing Platform/Afloat Forward Staging Base (MLP/AFSB) ship. The Navy’s proposed FY2014-FY2018 five-year shipbuilding plan includes a total of 41 ships—the same number as in the Navy’s FY213-FY2017 five-year shipbuilding plan, and one less than the 42 ships that the Navy planned for FY2014-FY2018 under the FY2013 budget submission.
The planned size of the Navy, the rate of Navy ship procurement, and the prospective affordability of the Navy’s shipbuilding plans have been matters of concern for the congressional defense committees for the past several years. The Navy’s 30-year shipbuilding plans in recent years have generally not included enough ships to fully support all elements of the Navy’s 306- ship goal over the long run. The Navy has projected that the fleet would remain below 306 ships during most of the 30-year period, and experience shortfalls at various points in cruisersdestroyers, attack submarines, and amphibious ships. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in recent years has estimated that the 30-year shipbuilding plan would cost more to execute than the Navy has estimated.
Proposed issues for Congress in reviewing the Navy’s proposed FY2014 shipbuilding budget, its proposed FY2014-FY20178 five-year shipbuilding plan, and its 30-year shipbuilding plan include the following:
- the impact on Navy shipbuilding programs of the March 1, 2013, sequester on FY2013 funding and unobligated funding from prior years;
- the future size and structure of the Navy in light of strategic and budgetary changes;
- the sufficiency of the 30-year shipbuilding plan; and
- the affordability of the 30-year shipbuilding plan.
Funding levels and legislative activity on individual Navy shipbuilding programs are tracked in detail in other CRS reports.
Date of Report: April 15, 2013
Number of Pages: 80
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