The House Armed Services Committee chairman’s mark of the bill, released Monday, shows lawmakers approving $1 billion for another Virginia-class attack boat. The HASC seapower and projection forces subcommittee’s mark of the bill provides the Navy with incremental funding authority to buy the second boat.
“For the second time in less than 5 years, the Navy has surprised both Congress and industry by removing a submarine from the budget request that had previously been planned for inclusion,” the HASC seapower panel’s mark reads. “This sporadic funding will only further stress an already stressed industrial base while also delaying the time it will take to reach the Navy’s stated goal of 66 fast attack submarines (SSNs).”
Lawmakers on the seapower subcommittee also took issue with the Navy’s proposal to buy one attack submarine when the service committed to purchasing two attack boats and one Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine per year so the industrial base can gear up for an increased demand and plans to sell attack boats to the Royal Australian Navy for the AUKUS agreement.