Longer deployments due to ‘sub gap’

[unhappycamper]

The Virginia-class fast attack submarine Virginia cruises through the Mediterranean while on a scheduled deployment within the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility earlier this month.


Longer deployments due to ‘sub gap’
By Lance M. Bacon - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jan 11, 2010 5:22:21 EST

Sailors aboard attack submarines can expect longer deployments and service-life extensions of their boats to compensate for an expected “submarine gap” in the years to come, according to Navy documents and congressional analysts.

Under the current 30-year procurement plan, the number of attack subs will fall below the required 48 boats in 2022 and will bottom out six years later at 41 boats. The shortfall will continue until 2034.

“ doesn’t have a lot of choice in this gap,” said one congressional analyst who spoke on condition of anonymity. “This is the result of decisions made in the past 20 years that are coming home to roost.”

The Navy plans to meet typical requirements with longer deployments and older boats. The service lives of 16 Los Angeles-class subs will be lengthened by as much as 24 months, and at least one month will be added to 40 deployments — about 25 percent of total deployments — over an eight-year period to provide the roughly 10 subs combatant commanders need on any given day. The typical attack sub deployment is six months; it was unclear when the longer deployments are expected to begin.

“There are concerns with this, such as how fast they use up the cores and the burden will place on crews and families,” the congressional analyst said. “This is not palatable, politically or in the Pentagon. But there’s really no way around it.”


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/01/navy_subgap_010910w/



unhappycamper comment: Get over it guys. We're already spending $5.6 billion dollars a year on new submarines.