Valerie Insinna
Defense Daily
7/31/2015
Adm. John Richardson, President Barack Obama’s nominee to become the next chief of naval operations (CNO), told senators yesterday that the planned design requirements for the Ohio-class Replacement submarines are “exactly what we need.” Speaking to the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing, he specifically cited the ship’s stealth capabilities and 16 missile tubes as critical design elements
The Navy this fall is slated to wrap up a study that will help formulate the design and build plan for the Ohio replacement, Richardson said of the program estimated to ultimately cost $100 billion.
“You’ve got to have a mature and stable design before you begin production so you’re not dealing and managing costly change orders after you’ve begun production,” said Richardson, who currently directs the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.
“Then I hope to provide a build plan that would allow for stable and predictable funding,” the admiral said. “That allows us, the Navy, to work very closely with the shipbuilders to provide a production line that results in the lowest cost per unit.”
Although the question was raised during the hearing and in written questions prepared in advance, Richardson did not directly address whether he would support congressional efforts to pay for the program through the Sea-Based Deterrence Fund, a Defense Department-wide account to which the defense secretary could funnel excess funding from any service.
“The creation of this fund, I think, highlights the existential importance of this program to our nation and also that executing this program will require a combination of both resources and authorities,” Richardson told the Senate panel.
