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The Navy’s next-generation attack submarines have not been a reality for at least 15 years, according to a new report.
The Navy’s SSN(x) was originally scheduled to enter production in 2031. That timeline was skated in 2035 and now by 2040 due to escalating cost and budget constraints.
The Navy requested $623 million in its 2026 budget to advance the program.
This new class is expected to highlight stealth, intelligence gathering, larger torpedo payloads, and advanced connectivity with unmanned submarine systems.
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Only two US shipyards can build nuclear-powered submarines, such as the USS Minnesota, a Virginia-class high-speed attack submarine. (Colin Murty-Pool/Getty Images)
The report urges lawmakers to consider whether delays could threaten US underwater control and their ability to implement key missions.
At around 10,000 tonnes, the SSN(x) is projected to cost between $6.7 billion and $8 billion per ship, which is significantly more expensive than Virginia-class submarines.
Virginia class boats cost around $4 billion each and have been working since 1998. The Navy usually raises twice a year, but actual production slows down to 1.2-1.4 submarines each year, increasing backlogs of funded but unstructured boats.
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Virginia class boats cost around $4 billion each and have been serving since 1998 (Colin Murty-Pool/Getty Images)
In 2025, the Navy requested only one Virginia-class submarine due to production constraints. Only two shipyards, electric boats and Newport News, are equipped to build nuclear submarine submarines.
The report also encourages us to examine the impact of postponement of production on industrial bases and whether shifting from highly enriched uranium reactors to low-enriched uranium may provide cost or safety benefits.
Meanwhile, the Navy is aiming to grow its fleet from 296 to 381 ships in the coming decades, but experts warn that major industrial expansion is needed to reach these targets.
At the Senate Armed Worship Committee hearing, Brett A. Seidl, the Navy’s assistant secretary for research, development and acquisitions, said: “Costs are rising faster than inflation, and multiple programs are delayed by a year or three years.”
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Experts are sounding alarms for the backlogged submarine production process. (Photo/release of the US Navy by Reina Rimatsu)
Despite nearly doubling shipbuilding budgets over the past 20 years, the Navy has not consistently achieved its ship goals. The government’s Accountability Office noted that the Navy’s shipbuilding program and yards are effectively operated in a “permanent state of triage.”
Last month, Sen. Rosa Delauro, a top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, appealed to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses about plans to expand shipbuilding capabilities.
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“I want your plan. Can we get it in writing and on paper? Because we have nothing today – Zip, nada,” she said.
“There are details,” replied Heggs.
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