The Columbia-class submarine programme could be delayed by a yearlong continuing resolution, the US Navy says. (US Navy )
A year-long continuing resolution (CR) to freeze funding could cause delays to the Columbia-class (SSNB 826) ballistic-missile submarine programme, according to Rear Admiral John Gumbleton, deputy assistant secretary of the US Navy (USN) for budget and director of the USN Fiscal Management Division.
Navy officials have been adamant for years that the service could not afford any additional delays to the Columbia programme if the vessels were going ready to start patrols once the current Ohio-class SSBNs retire.
Programme funding would be cut by about USD500 million under the CR, Rear Adm Gumbleton told reporters on 25 January during a media briefing on the possible affects of such a resolution.
“The Columbia has been our number one priority,” he said. However, with the money loss a CR would have on the programme there is a strong potential the schedule would be affected, he said.
However, he said the navy would “hopefully have an opportunity” to make up any time lost.
Rear Adm Gumbleton identified other programmes that would be put at risk by a year-long CR. “For the new [Constellation-class FFG 62] frigate,” he said, “because it's a new start we would not be able to begin on the next hull.”
He added, “There are additional new starts [that would be affected such as] the T-AGOS [ocean-surveillance ships]. Our intention was to build three new sealift ships, an oiler and two Ship to Shore Connectors. These are examples of things that are not going to happen.”
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