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2022-12-01
U.S. Navy Keeps Shipbuilding Plans Afloat
The U.S. Navy’s (USN) proposed FY2023 budget requests US$27.9 billion in shipbuilding funding for, among other things, the procurement of eight new ships, including two Virginia (SSN-774) class attack submarines, two Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class destroyers, one Constellation (FFG-62) class frigate, one LPD-17 Flight II class amphibious ship, one John Lewis (TAO-205) class oiler, and one Navajo (TATS-6) class towing, salvage, and rescue ship.
The Navy’s FY2023 budget submission also shows a ninth ship—the amphibious assault ship LHA-9—as also being requested for procurement in FY2023.
The current and planned size and composition of the USN, the annual rate of Navy ship procurement, the prospective affordability of the Navy’s shipbuilding plans, and the capacity of the U.S. shipbuilding industry to execute the Navy’s shipbuilding plans have been oversight matters for the U.S. congressional defence committees for many years.
In December 2016, the USN released a force-structure goal that calls for maintaining a fleet of 355 ships of certain types and numbers. The 355-ship goal predates the Trump and Biden Administrations’ national defence strategies and does not reflect the new fleet architecture (i.e., new mix of ships) that the Navy wants to shift towards in coming years.
This new fleet architecture is to feature a smaller proportion of larger ships, a larger proportion of smaller ships, and a new third element of large unmanned vehicles (UVs).
The Navy and the Department of Defense (DOD) have been working since 2019 to develop a successor for the 355-ship force-level goal that would reflect current national defence strategy and the new fleet architecture.
The Navy’s FY2023 30-year (FY2023-FY2052) shipbuilding plan, released on April 20, 2022, presents the results of three studies on possibilities for the Navy’s successor force-level goal.
A long-range USN shipbuilding document that the Navy released on June 17, 2021, and which reflects some of these studies, outlined a future Navy that would include 321 to 372 manned ships and 77 to 140 large UVs.
A congressionally mandated Battle Force Ship Assessment and Requirement (BFSAR) report that reportedly was provided to Congress in July 2022 calls for a Navy with 373 battle force ships.
Here’s a brief look at these ships and their features:
Virginia Attack Submarines
Builder: General Dynamics Electric Boat Division and Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. Newport News Shipbuilding
USN has requested for two additional Virginia class attack submarines in FY2023 budget. The Virginia-class, also known as the VA-class or 774-class, is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines in service with the Navy. The submarines are designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions. They were conceived as a less expensive alternative to the Seawolf-class attack submarines, designed during the Cold War era, and are replacing older Los Angeles-class submarines, 29 of which have already been decommissioned.
The Virginia class has several innovations that enhance its warfighting capabilities, including in littoral, or coastal, operations. Virginia class SSNs have a fly-by-wire ship control system that provides improved shallow-water ship handling.
The class has special features to support Special Operations Forces (SOF), including a reconfigurable torpedo room which can accommodate a large number of SOF personnel and their equipment for prolonged deployments as well as future off-board payloads.
In Virginia-class SSNs, traditional periscopes have been supplanted by two photonics masts that host visible and infrared digital cameras atop telescoping arms. With the removal of the barrel periscopes, the ship’s control room has been moved down one deck and away from the hull’s curvature, affording it more room and an improved layout that provides the commanding officer with enhanced situational awareness.
As part of the Virginia-class’ third, or Block III, contract, the Navy redesigned approximately 20 per cent of the ship to reduce their acquisition costs. Most of the changes are found in the bow where the traditional, air-backed sonar sphere has been replaced with a water-backed Large Aperture Bow (LAB) array which reduces acquisition and life-cycle costs while providing enhanced passive detection capabilities.
The new bow replaces the 12 individual Vertical Launch System (VLS) tubes with two large diameter 87-inch Virginia Payload Tubes (VPTs), each capable of launching six Tomahawk cruise missiles using Multiple All-up Round Canisters (MACs) already employed on SSGNs.
Block IV submarines (SSNs 792-801) incorporate design changes focussed on reduced total ownership cost (RTOC). By making these smaller-scale design changes to increase the component-level lifecycle of the submarine, the Navy will increase the periodicity between depot maintenance availabilities and increase the number of deployments.
Blocks I-III Virginias are planned to undergo four depot maintenance availabilities and conduct 14 deployments. Block IV RTOC efforts are intended to reduce planned availabilities by one to three, and increase deployments to 15.
The next major change is the incorporation of the Virginia Payload Module (VPM), starting with the second Block V ship, SSN 803, currently under construction. VPM incorporates four additional large diameter payload tubes in a new hull section located amidships.
Arleigh Burke Destroyers
Builder: General Dynamics — Bath Iron Works, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Ingalls Shipbuilding
Guided-missile destroyers are multi-mission surface combatants capable of conducting Anti-Air Warfare (AAW), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW).
The destroyer’s armament has expanded the role of the ship in strike warfare utilising the MK-41 Vertical Launching System (VLS), and, beginning with ships equipped with Aegis Baseline 9, Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD).
The Arleigh Burke class (DDG 51) destroyers replaced the Charles F. Adams class (DDG 2). The Arleigh Burke class was designed with an all-new hull form, incorporating much of the Spruance class (DD 963) destroyer propulsion and machinery plant, and the integrated Aegis Weapons System (AWS) proven on the Kidd class (DD 993) destroyers and installed on the larger Ticonderoga class cruisers.
The AWS is composed of a multi-function phased array radar, advanced AAW and ASW systems, VLS, and the Tomahawk Weapon System. DDG 51 was commissioned on July 4, 1991, and the class is still in production. The class has been upgraded with advanced sensors and weapons and improved support systems.
The Arleigh Burke class employs all-steel construction and comprises four separate variants or “Flights.” DDGs 51-71 represent the original design and are designated as Flight I; DDGs 72-78 are Flight II ships; and DDGs 79-124 and DDG 127 are Flight IIA ships. The Flight III baseline begins with DDGs 125-126 and continues with DDG 128 and follow.
Seventy DDG 51 class ships have been delivered to the fleet, with 19 more on contract and 12 ships in various stages of construction.
A DDG modernisation programme is underway to provide a comprehensive mid-life upgrade that will ensure the DDG 51 class will maintain mission relevance.
The goal of the DDG modernisation effort is to reduce workload requirements and increase warfighting capabilities while reducing total ownership cost to the Navy. To date, 37 modernisations have been completed or are in progress and an additional 17 modernisations are planned through the Future Years Defense Programme.
Constellation Class Frigate
Builder: Marinette Marine Corporation
The Constellation-Class Guided-Missile Frigate (FFG 62) represents the Navy’s next generation small surface combatant. This ship class will be a multi-mission warship, capable of operations in both blue-water and littoral environments, providing increased combat-credible forward presence that provides a military advantage at sea.
FFG 62 will be fielded with multi-mission capability to conduct air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, electromagnetic manoeuvre warfare. These capabilities include an Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR), Baseline Ten (BL10) Aegis Combat System, an Mk 41 Vertical Launch System, communications systems, countermeasures, and added capability in the electronic warfare/information operations area with design flexibility for future growth.
LPD-17 Amphibious Ship
Builder: Huntington Ingalls Industries
LPDs are used to transport and land Marines, their equipment, and supplies by embarked Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) or conventional landing craft and Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV) augmented by helicopters or vertical take-off and landing aircraft (MV 22).
These ships support amphibious assault, special operations, or expeditionary warfare missions and serve as secondary aviation platforms for amphibious operations. These ships perform a variety of expeditionary warfare missions and are designed to operate independently or as part of an Amphibious Task Force (ATF), Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG), Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG), or Joint Task Force (JTF).The 26 ships of the San Antonio (LPD 17) class are a key element of the Navy’s seabase transformation.
The LPD 17 San Antonio class is the functional replacement for over 41 ships including the LPD 4 Austin class, LSD 36 Anchorage class, LKA 113 Charleston class, and LST 1179 Newport class amphibious ships.
Each ship encompasses more than 20,000 square feet of vehicle storage space and 28,000 cubic feet of cargo storage. Vehicle storage space is provided through a well deck design which allows for the transportation of LCAC’s or conventional landing craft. With a maximum speed in excess of 22 knots and total displacement of 24,900 tonnes, the San Antonio class is powered by four turbocharged diesel engines. The ship can transport a landing force of up to 800 Marines.
LPD 17, the first ship of the class, commenced construction in June 2000 and was delivered to the Navy in July 2005. Eleven LPDs have been delivered and commissioned since then, and they have completed a combined 21 deployments around the globe. LPD 28 and LPD 29 are under construction.
John Lewis Oiler
Builder: General Dynamics/National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (GD/NASSCO)
The primary role of Navy fleet oilers is to transfer fuel to Navy surface ships that are operating at sea, so as to extend the operating endurance of these surface ships and their embarked aircraft. Fleet oilers also provide other surface ships with lubricants, fresh water, and small amounts of dry cargo. Fleet oilers transfer fuel and other supplies to other surface ships in operations called underway replenishments (UNREPs). During an UNREP, an oiler steams next to the receiving ship and transfers fuel by hose.
Navy oilers carry the designation TAO (sometimes written as T-AO). The T means that the ships are operated by MSC with a mostly civilian crew; the A means it is an auxiliary ship of some kind; and the O means that it is, specifically, an oiler. TAO-205 will be the Navy’s next oiler after TAO-204, which is the final Kaiser-class oiler.
The TAO-205 class design will have capabilities similar to those of the Kaiser-class ships, and will rely on existing technologies rather than new technologies. To guard against oil spills, TAO-205s are to be double-hulled, like modern commercial oil tankers, with a space between the two hulls to protect the inner hull against events that puncture the outer hull. The new fleet oilers for the U.S. Navy are designed to transfer fuel to the Navy’s carrier strike groups operating at sea.
The oilers feature the capacity to carry 162,000 barrels of oil, a significant dry cargo capacity, aviation capability and a speed of 20 knots.
NASSCO designed the new vessels with double hulls to protect against oil spills and strengthened cargo and ballast tanks. The vessels measure 742-feet in length with full load displacement of 49,850 tonnes. The class and lead ship is named in honour of Rep. John Lewis.
Navajo (TATS-6) Series
Builder: Austal USA
The Navajo-class is a new series of towing, salvage and rescue ships (T-ATS) being constructed for the U.S. Navy. The new T-ATS ships will provide ocean-going tug, salvage, and rescue capabilities to the U.S. Navy to support its fleet operations.
T-ATS will replace the capabilities of both retiring Rescue and Salvage Ship (T-ARS 50) class and Fleet Ocean Tug (T-ATF 166) class mission requirements. T-ATS will be a Multi Mission Common Hull Platform based on commercial offshore Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessels.
The Navajo-class will be deployed to support a range of missions such as towing, rescue, salvage, humanitarian assistance, oil spill response and wide-area search and surveillance operations using unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
T-ATS can embark any type of containerised, standalone system. Future payloads could include: Cyber, EW, Decoy and Surveillance packages.
The keel for the lead ship of the class, T-ATS 6, was laid in October 2019. Designated T-ATS 7, the second ship was laid in February 2020. The first five ships in the class are called Navajo, Cherokee Nation, Saginaw Ojibwe Anishinabek, Lenni Lenape and Muscogee Creek Nation.
T-ATS is a multi-mission common hull platform with a length of 263ft (80m), beam of 59ft (17.98m) and draft of 17.7ft (5.39m). It has a displacement of 5,110t and load carrying capacity of 1,796t. The winning design of Gulf Island was based on the Wartsila VS 4612 anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel.
The U.S. Navy programme calls for a ship that can accommodate 65 persons, including 23 crew and 42 non-crew members.
The T-ATS steel-hulled ships are designed to provide 6,000ft² of deck space to accommodate stand-alone or interchangeable systems. The bridge of the T-ATS will offer a 360° view.
The open deck area on the ship is designed to accommodate future mission systems. The ship will offer a bollard pull of 176 short tonnes for above-threshold towing and de-beaching force.
The T-ATS platform can support the integration of modular payloads with hotel services and relevant interfaces to allow future rapid capabilities.
Further requirements of the U.S. Navy include a traction winch for towing, mission equipment stowage and off-ship firefighting.
Amphibious Assault Vessel
Builder: Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)
HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding has been awarded a US$2.4 billion U.S. Navy fixed-price-incentive contract for the detail design and construction of amphibious assault ship LHA 9. The award includes options, that if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to US$3.2 billion.
Ingalls has a long tradition of building large-deck amphibious ships that are operated by the Navy and Marine Corps. The shipyard has delivered 15 large-decks, including the Tarawa-class, LHA 1-5; the Wasp-class, LHD 1-8; and most recently the America-class, LHA 6 and LHA 7.
The third of the America-class, Bougainville (LHA 8), is currently under construction.
The America-class is a multi-functional and versatile ship that is capable of operating in a high density, multi-threat environment as an integral member of an expeditionary strike group, an amphibious task force or an amphibious ready group.
LHA 9, like Bougainville, will retain the aviation capability of the America-class design while adding the surface assault capability of a well deck and a larger flight deck configured for F-35B Joint Strike Fighter and MV-22 Osprey aircraft.
The class is designed to put ashore a Marine Expeditionary Unit using helicopters and MV-22B Osprey V/STOL transport aircraft, supported by AV-8B Harrier II or F-35 Lightning II V/STOL aircraft and various attack helicopters. The first of these warships was commissioned by the U.S. Navy in 2014 to replace USS Peleliu of the Tarawa class; as many as 11 will be built.
367 Manned Ships by FY2052
The Navy’s proposed FY2023 budget also proposes retiring 24 ships, including nine relatively young Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs).
The FY2023 30-year (FY2023-FY2052) shipbuilding plan released on April 20, 2022, includes three potential 30-year shipbuilding profiles and resulting 30-year force-level projections, referred to as Alternatives 1, 2, and 3.
Alternatives 1 and 2 assume no real (i.e., above-inflation) growth in shipbuilding funding beyond the level to be attained over the five-year period FY2023- FY2027, while Alternative 3 assumes some amount of real growth in shipbuilding funds after FY2027.
Under Alternative 1, the Navy would reach 300 manned ships in FY2035 and grow to 316 manned ships by FY2052.
Under Alternative 2, the Navy would reach 300 manned ships in FY2035 and grow to 327 manned ships by FY2052.
Under Alternative 3, the Navy would reach 300 manned ships in FY2033 and grow to 367 manned ships by FY2052 .
Reference Text/Photo: www.navy.mil , www.CRSReports.congress.gov
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