House lawmakers are pushing back against Pentagon’s proposal in 2025 to fund procurement of one Virginia-class attack submarine instead of two. Rep. Joe Courtney, Rob Wittman, and 118 lawmakers argue for consistent two-per-year build rate to meet Navy’s operational requirements. Navy needs two Virginia-class attack vessels and one Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine per year. Production constraints have led to request for one vessel amid defense budget topline capped at $895 billion. The proposal contradicts Department of Defense’s National Defense Industrial Strategy citing procurement instability as a challenge.
Courtney emphasizes disruption in supply chain with one submarine. Despite supply chain shocks, production capacity is increasing in Connecticut and Virginia shipyards. Electric Boat hired thousands of new workers and Newport News shipyard also hired additional workers. Congress passed foreign aid package in April with $3.3 billion for submarine industrial base funding. Lawmakers note razor-thin schedule for program with little margin for delays.
