Military

Navy Shipbuilding Programs: Nuclear Attack Submarine Issues (Testimony, 05/16/95, GAO/T-NSIAD-95-162)

This testimony on production of the Navy's nuclear attack submarines
makes three main points.  First, alternatives to the Navy's approach to
maintain the required SSN force structure could save billions of dollars
and meet the Navy's force structure and threat requirements.  Second,
there is agreement within the intelligence community that Russia's
frontline submarines are for the first time as quiet as or quieter than
the SSN-688I and that Russia plans to continue reducing radiated noise
levels on its submarines.  Third, although the Navy argues that
maintaining two nuclear shipbuilders preserves competition and hedges
against future uncertainties, GAO concludes that consolidating
production at a single shipyard would cut costs dramatically.
--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------
 REPORTNUM:  T-NSIAD-95-162
     TITLE:  Navy Shipbuilding Programs: Nuclear Attack Submarine Issues
      DATE:  05/16/95
   SUBJECT:  Defense contingency planning
             Nuclear powered submarines
             Shipyards
             Shipbuilding industry
             Navy procurement
             Military cost control
             Antisubmarine warfare
             Combat readiness
             Cost analysis
             Naval warfare
IDENTIFIER:  SSN-23 Submarine
             SSN-688 Submarine
             SSN-688I Submarine
             Seawolf Attack Submarine
             Russia
             DOD Bottom-Up Review
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