The Obama administration has approved advanced development for its fleet of nuclear ballistic missile submarines to replace the aging Ohio-class ahead of leaving office this month.
Frank Kendall, the head of acquisition, technology and logistics at the Pentagon, told Bloomberg that he wanted to move the $126 billion Columbia-class submarine project forward “before I leave” and had signed off on advanced development for the 12 submarines.
The Columbia-class submarine replaces one section of the nuclear triad, which includes a new, nuclear-capable Air Force bomber and recapitalization of the ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles.
President-elect Trump signaled support for building up the country’s nuclear defenses in a tweet last month.
“The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes,” Trump wrote.
But the next president has also taken on some of the high-cost programs under development by the Pentagon, including the F-35 and Air Force One replacement. At $126 billion, the Columbia-class subs are the third most expensive program ever undertaken by the Pentagon, just behind the F-35 and the ballistic-missile defense network, according to Bloomberg.
The new submarines will be built by General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls Industries.
