T?? O?i? R??l?c?m?nt P?????m s??s, ?? ORP, will ?? l????? t??n t?? O?i?-cl?ss ??c??s? ?? t?? ?n??nc?? s??viv??ilit? m??s???s int????t?? ?n????? t?? s??m??in?s.
G?n???l D?n?mics’ st??i?? El?ct?ic B??t ?ivisi?n is s?t t? ??liv?? its ??t?il?? ??si?n ?????s?l ??? t?? n?w O?i? R??l?c?m?nt P?????m (ORP) ??llistic missil? s??m??in? t? t?? U.S. N?v? t?is F?i???. T??t will kісk ??? ? s??i?s ?? ?v?nts, w?ic? will c?lmin?t? wit? El?ct?ic B??t si?nin? ? c?nt??ct t? ??si?n ?n? ??il? t?? n?w ‘???m??’ in t?? ??ll ??t?? ? Mil?st?n? B ??vi?w in A???st. T??t’s ?ss?min? t?? C?n???ss m?n???s t? ??ss t?? ?isc?l ???? (FY) 2017 ?????t.
Wit? c?nst??cti?n ?? t?? n?w ??llistic missil? s??m??in? s?t t? ???in in ?isc?l ???? 2021, t?? ???l is t? ??liv?? t?? ?i?st ???t in tіm? t? its c?n??ct its ?i?st ??t????nc? ??t??l in Oct???? 2030. Unlik? wit? t?? Vi??ini?-cl?ss ?tt?ck s??m??in?, El?ct?ic B??t will ?? t?? s?l? ??im? c?nt??ct?? ?n? will ?? ??s??nsi?l? ??? ??liv??in? ?ll tw?lv? ORP ???ts t? t?? N?v?.
H?w?v??, w?il? El?ct?ic B??t will ?? ??s??nsi?l? ??? ?i??t? ???c?nt ?? t?? w??k ?n t?? ORP, H?ntin?t?n In??lls N?w???t N?ws—t?? ?nl? ?t??? s?i????? c????l? ?? ??il?in? ? n?cl??? s??m??in?—is ???vil? inv?lv?? in t?? ??si?n ?n? ??il? ???s?. N?w???t N?ws ??s ? t?t?l ??s??nsi?ilit? ??? ????t tw?nt? ???c?nt ?? t?? ???t’s ??si?n ?n? c?nst??cti?n—????t 300 ?? t?? c?m??n?’s ?n?in???s ??? w??kin? wit? El?ct?ic B??t t? ??si?n t?? n?w s??m??in?. Divi?in? ?? t?? w??k in t?is m?nn?? will ??l? t? ???s??v? t?? n?ti?n’s c?itic?l n?cl??? s??m??in? ?n?in???in? ?n? m?n???ct??in? ѕkіɩɩѕ.
T?? N?v? ?x??cts t?? n?w ????n??m?nt t? ??iv? ??wn t?? l???nin? c??v? ??? t?? n?w ???m?? ?n? ????c? c?sts ?? ??vin? ?nl? ?n? ??im? c?nt??ct??. “T?? ??cisi?n ???? w?s t? ??cilitiz? El?ct?ic B??t ?n? ??v? EB ?? ?ll tw?lv? ??liv??i?s ?? t?? O?i? R??l?c?m?nt, ??t ??wn ?n? l???nin? c??v? ?v?? tw?lv? s?i?s,” C??t. D?vi? G???ins, N?v?l S?? S?st?ms C?mm?n? ??????m m?n???? ??? t?? ORP, t?l? ?n ???i?nc? ?t t?? N?v? L?????’s S??, Ai? ?n? S??c? s?m??si?m ?n M?? 17.
In ?n ?tt?m?t t? minimiz? c?sts, t?? N?v? ???w ???n ?s m?c? t?c?n?l??? ???m t?? Vi??ini?-cl?ss ?s ??ssi?l?. H?w?v??, t???? ??? s?m? m?j?? ?i?????nc?s ??tw??n t?? tw? ??si?ns—?s??ci?ll? t?w???s t?? st??n ?? t?? v?ss?l. T?? ORP is ??si?n?? t? ??v? ????tl? im???v?? s??viv??ilit?. T?? N?v? ?m???siz?? st??lt? ?n? s??viv??ilit? ??c??s? ?? t?? ???t’s c?itic?l n?cl??? ??t????nc? missi?n—t?? ORP ??s t? ?? s??viv??l? t?????? 2080 in ????? t? ?????nt?? Am??ic?’s n?cl??? ??t????nc?, G???ins s?i?.
Ev?n t????? t?? ??t?il ??si?n ???s? ??s ??t t? st??t, w??k ?n m?n? c?itic?l ?s??cts ?? t?? ??????m ??v? ?l????? st??t??. El?ct?ic B??t will c?m?l?t? t?? s??m??in?’s c?mm?n missil? c?m???tm?nt (CMC) ????n??m?nts ?????? t?? ?n? ?? t?is ????. “W?’ll st??t ??? ???t?t??in? ?? t?? missil? c?m???tm?nt t?is ????, t?is s?mm??,” G???ins s?i?.
T?? i??? ???in? t?? ???t?t??in? is t? ????c? ?isks ?ss?ci?t?? wit? t?? n?w missil? c?m???tm?nt—w?ic? s???l? ?ls? ??l? t? ????c? m?n???ct??in? c?sts. M????v??, t?? B?itis?—w?? will ?ls? ?s? t?? s?m? missil? c?m???tm?nt ??si?n—??? ?x??ct?? t? st??t c?nst??cti?n ?? t??i? n?w S?cc?ss??-cl?ss ??llistic missil? s??m??in?s in t?? c?min? m?nt?s. T??t m??ns t??t t?? R???l N?v? n???s t? ??v? t?? CMC ??si?n c?m?l?t?? ?n? ???v?n ?????? t??? inst?ll t??s? m???l?s ?n????? t?? ?i?st ?? t??i? n?w ???m??s. “W?’ll st??t ???t?t??? c?nst??cti?n t?is ????,” s?i? Will L?nn?n, El?ct?ic B??t’s vic? ???si??nt ?? ?n?in???in? ?n? ??si?n ??????ms in ?n int??vi?w wit? T?? N?ti?n?l Int???st. “B?c??s? t?? ??si?n ?? t?? c?mm?n missil? c?m???tm?nt s?????ts t?? Unit?? Kin???m ?n? t?? U.S. ??si?ns—t?? Unit?? Kin???m is ??in? t? st??t t??i? c?nst??cti?n ?s s??n ?s t??? ?? t?????? t??i? m?in-??t? w?ic? is sc????l?? ??? l?t?? t?is ????. S? t???’ll st??t c?nst??cti?n ?it??? l?t?? t?is ???? ?? ???l? n?xt ????.”
T?? ??si?n ?n? c?nst??cti?n ?? t?? CMC is ?n? ?? t?? ???? m?j?? t?c?nic?l inn?v?ti?ns ?n????? t?? ORP. W??n t?? O?i?-cl?ss w?s ??si?n?? ?n? ??ilt, ?m?t? missil? t???s w??? sim?l? w?l??? int? t?? ??ll. W??k??s w??l? ins??t t?? ?l?ct??nics ?n? ?t??? ????w??? n?c?ss??? t? m?k? t??s? t???s w??k l?t?? in t?? c?nst??cti?n ???s? t?????? v??i??s ??tc??s ?n? ?t??? ???nin?s. “V??? in???ici?nt,” L?nn?n s?i?.
T?? OPR ?s?s ? c?m?l?t?l? n?w m?t???. Inst??? ?? ins??tin? ?n? t??? ?t ? tіm? int? t?? ??ll ??? l?t?? ??t?ittin?, t?? CMC is ??ilt ?s ???t ?? ? s?cti?n wit? ???? t???s ??ilt-in—c?ll?? ? Q???-P?ck. T?? ???? t???s ??? m?n???ct???? ?n? ??ll? ??t?itt?? ?????? ??in? c?m?in?? int? ? sin?l? m???l? ??? inst?ll?ti?n. T??t m???l? is t??n ins??t?? int? t?? ??ll ?s ? ?nit. T?? ORP will ?? ?itt?? wit? ???? Q???-P?cks t? c???? ? t?t?l ?? sixt??n s??m??in? l??nc??? ??llistic missil?s—??t t?? sm?ll?? B?itis? S?cc?ss??-cl?ss w??l? ?nl? ?? ?itt?? wit? t???? s?c? ?nits ??? ? t?t?l ?? tw?lv? missil?s. T?????tic?ll?, i? t?? ORP’s ?t??? s?st?ms c??l? s?????t t?? ???iti?n?l w?i??t ?n? ??w?? ????i??m?nts, ???in? m??? missil?s t? t?? ??si?n w??l? sim?l? m??n ???in? ???iti?n?l Q???-P?cks. T?? t???s ??? t?? s?m? 87-inc? ?i?m?t?? v?ss?ls ?s t?? c????nt T?i??nt II D5 l??nc???s ?n t?? O?i?-cl?ss, ??t ??? ? ???t l?n???—l??vin? s?m? m???in ??? ? ??t??? missil? ??si?n.
T????? t?? B?itis? ??? inv?lv?? in t?? ??????m, t??? ??? n?t ?i??ctl? ?ssistin? in t?? ??si?n ?? t?? CMC. “T???’?? n?t ??in? t?? ??si?n, ??t t???’?? inv?lv?? in w??t w? c?ll ??si?n-??il?,” L?nn?n s?i?. “T??? ??v? t??i? ????l? l??kin? ?t t?? ??si?n, m?kin? s??? it is ?????ci?l?. T??? ?? ??v? s?m? ?ni??? s?st?ms t??t t?? U.S. ???sn’t ??v? t??t w? ??? w??kin? t???t??? t? m?k? s??? t??t t??? ?it int? t?? c?mm?n missil? c?m???tm?nt s??c?.”
An?t??? m?j?? inn?v?ti?n ?n????? t?? ORP is t?? ???t’s 42-???? li??-??-t??-???t n?cl??? ???ct??—w?ic? is ??in? ??v?l???? ?? t?? O??ic? ?? N?v?l R??ct??s. W?il? t?? Vi??ini?-cl?ss ?ls? ??s ? li??-??-t??-???t ???ct??, t?? U.S. N?v? ??s n?v?? ??si?n?? ?n? ??ilt ? ???ct?? wit? t?? kin? ?? l?n??vit? ?s t?? ??w???l?nt ??in? ??si?n?? ??? t?? ORP. In????, t?? ???ct?? is ?n? ?? t?? ???s?ns t?? N?v? w?s ??l? t? ????c? its ????i??m?nts ??? t?? n?m??? ?? ORP v?ss?ls it n???s ???m ????t??n ??wn t? tw?lv?. “It’s ? m?c? l?n??? ???i?? ?? tіm? t?is s?i? will ?? ?????tin? t??n t?? Vi??ini?-cl?ss, m?c? m??? ?n????,” L?nn?n s?i?. “It’s ???ll? ? si?ni?ic?nt ?n??l?? in t??t it ?limin?t?s t?? n??? t? ?? t??t ???? mi?li?? ?????lin? ?v?????l t??t w? ?? ?n O?i? t????.”
On? ?t??? m?j?? inn?v?ti?n ?n?????—?n? ?n? t??t will ?? c???i?? ???w??? ?nt? ??t??? U.S. n?cl??? s??m??in?s—is t?? ORP’s ???m?n?nt m??n?t m?t?? ?l?ct?ic ??iv?. L?nn?n s?i? t??t t???? is n?t m?c? m??? t??t c?n ?? ??n? t? ????c? ? s??m??in?’s ?c??stic si?n?t??? ?sin? m?c??nic?l m??ns—m?vin? t? ? ???m?n?nt m??n?t m?t?? ???ns ?? m?c? ????t ??t?nti?l ??? st??lt?. “I? ??? l??k ????? ?n? l??k ?t w??t’s ??in? t? ?? ????i??? ?? ??t??? s??m??in?s, m?c??nic?l ??iv? ??s ???tt? m?c? ???c??? its limits in t??ms ?? ?c??stic ??????m?nc?,” L?nn?n s?i?. “T?? ??n??its ?n? im???v?m?nts ??in? ???w??? will l????l? ?? ??n? t?????? ?l?ct?ic ??iv? t?c?n?l???.”
T?? OPR will n?t ?? t?? ?i?st Am??ic?n n?cl??? s??m??in? wit? ?n ?l?ct?ic ??iv?—in t?? l?t? 1950s, t?? ?n?-??? USS T?lli??? (SSN-597) ?i?n????? t?? t?c?n?l???. L?t??, in 1960s ?n? 1970s, t?? U.S. N?v? ??ilt t?? USS N??w??l (SSN-671) ?n? USS Gl?n??? P. Li?sc?m? (SSN 685) t? t?st t????-?l?ct?ic ??iv?s—??t t?? t?c?n?l??? ???v?? t? ?? t????l?s?m?.
H?w?v??, L?nn?n s?i? t??t ?l?ct?ic ??iv?s ??v? c?m? ? l?n? w?? sinc? t??s? ???l? ???s ?? T?lli???—??t??? t??n ?i??ct c????nt t?? n?w m?t??s ?s? ???m?n?nt m??n?ts. P??m?n?nt m??n?t m?t?? t?c?n?l??? is w?ll ?n???st??? in t??ms ?? ??????m?nc? ?n? ?n?in???in?. “It’s m?t??? t?c?n?l???,” L?nn?n s?i?. “W?’v? st??i?? it, w?’v? t?st?? it ?n? w?’v? ??n? ? l?t ?? ?n?in???in? ??m?nst??ti?ns ?n it. I ???l ???tt? c?m???t??l? t??t t?? t?c?n?l??? is m?t???. N?w it’s j?st int????tin? it t???t???.”
W?il? t???? ??v? ???n ??m??s t??t t?? ORP is l????? t??n its O?i? ?????c?ss??s ??c??s? ?? t?? siz? ?? t?? ?l?ct?ic ??iv? ?n? its ???m?n?nt m??n?t m?t??—??s?it? c????in? ?i??t ??w?? missil?s—L?nn?n s?i? t??t is n?t t???. T?? ORP will ?? l????? t??n t?? O?i?-cl?ss ??c??s? ?? t?? ?n??nc?? s??viv??ilit? m??s???s int????t?? ?n????? t?? s??m??in?s—t?? n?w ???ts will ?is?l?c? m??? t??n 20,800-t?ns. In????, t?? N?v? c??l? ??v? ??t?? t? ??il? t?? ???t wit? tw?nt? ?? tw?nt?-???? missil? t???s, ??t c??s? n?t t? in ????? t? m?k? s??? t?? Unit?? St?t?s ?is???s?? its n?cl??? ??t????nc?. “I? ??? l??k ?t t?? ?v???ll l?n?t? ?? t?? s?i?, t?? l?n?t? ?? t?? missil? c?m???tm?nt is sm?ll??,” L?nn?n s?i?. “B?t it’s ?ist?i??t?? ???tt? m?c? ????ll?—t?? inc???s?—???w??? ?n? ??t. V??? littl? ?? t??t ??s t? ?? wit? ?l?ct?ic ??iv?. It’s ???ll? t? ?? wit? t?? ?t??? c????iliti?s w?’v? ??? t? ??t int? t?? s?i? in ????? t? m??t t?? missi?n n???s.”
W?il? ?? c??l? n?t ?? int? ??t?il, L?nn?n s?i? t??s? missi?n n???s incl??? ??????m?nc?—incl??in? s??viv??ilit? ?n? ?c??stics. “W?’v? ??? t? ??si?n?t? l????? v?l?m?s in ????? t? ??t c??t?in ???t???s ?n? c????iliti?s int? t?? s?i?,” ?? s?i?.
On? ?t??? visi?l? ?i?????nc? ??tw??n t?? ORP ?n? ???vi??s U.S. n?cl??? s??m??in?s is t?? X-?l?n? t?il s????c? c?n?i????ti?n. T?? n?w c?n?i????ti?n is n????? t? m??t t?? N?v?’s ???????n?mic ??????m?nc? ????i??m?nts ??? t?? n?w s??m??in?, L?nn?n s?i?. T?? l?st tіm? t?? U.S. ??si?n?? X-?l?n? c?nt??ls ??? ? s??m??in? w?s w??n Am??ic? w?s still ??il?in? ?i?s?l-?l?ct?ic ???ts. ORP ?ls? m?v?s t?? s??m??in?’s ?iv? ?l?n?s t? t?? s?il t? ??s? m?int?n?nc? iss??s—? ???m?? n???s t? ??v? ?i?? ?v?il??ilit?. “Y?? ???ll? ??v? t? m?k? t?is s?i? m?int?n?nc? ??i?n?l?,” ?? s?i?. “T??t’s ?n? ?? t?? ???s?ns w? w?nt ??ck t? ??i?-w?t?? ?l?n?s.”
W?il? L?nn?n c??l? n?t t?lk ????t ??w t?? ORP w??l? ??????m, ?n?t??? in??st?? s???c? s?i? t??t t????? ? ???m??’s ??n?lin? is n?t ??it? ?s s??it?l? ?s ?n ?tt?ck ???t lik? t?? Vi??ini?-cl?ss, t?? ??????m?nc? ?i?????nti?l is n?t ?s ????t ?s ?n? mi??t im??in?. In ??ct, t???? is n?t t??t m?c? ?i?????nc? in t??ms ?? s????, m?n??v????ilit? ?n? ?ivin? ??????m?nc?.
In t??ms ?? c?m??t s?st?ms, s?ns??s ?n? s?l?-????ns? w????ns—m?st ?? t?? ORP’s s?st?ms ??? c?mm?n wit? t?? Vi??ini?-cl?ss. T?? ORP’s c?m??t s?st?ms will ?? t?? l?t?st v??si?n ???m t?? Vi??ini?-cl?ss—in???? t?? tw? cl?ss?s will s???? ???????s ?n? s??tw??? ?v?n t????? t?? ORP w?n’t n??? ?ll ?? t?? ??ncti?n?lit? t??t ?n ?tt?ck ???t n???s. T?????tic?ll?, t?? ORP—w??s? t?????? ???m ??si?n is ?ls? v??? cl?s?l? ??l?t?? t? t?? Vi??ini?s—w??l? ?? ??l? t? s?????t c??is? missil?s lik? t?? T?m???wk, ??t it is ?i??l? ?nlik?l? t??t t?? N?v? w??l? ?v?? ?s? t??t ??ilit?. “T?? int?nt is t??i? w??l? ??????? s?st?m…w??l? ?? c?mm?n ?c??ss SSNs ?n? SSBNs t? t?? ?xt?nt t?? c????iliti?s ??? n????? ?n ??t?,” L?nn?n s?i?.
On? ?? t?? m?j?? ??wnsi??s ?? t?? ORP ??????m is t??t it is ?x??nsiv?. T?? t?t?l ??????m is ?x??ct?? t? c?st m??? t??n $97.0 ?illi?n in c?nst?nt FY2016 ??ll??s ?cc???in? t? t?? C?n???ssi?n?l R?s???c? S??vic?. T??t incl???s ????t $12.0 ?illi?n in ??s???c? ?n? ??v?l??m?nt c?sts ?n? ????t $85.1 ?illi?n in ???c???m?nt c?sts. T?? N?v? ????s t? ????c? t?? c?st ?? ??c? s??m??in?—??ll?wіп? t?? initi?l ???t w?ic? is ??in? t? ?? m?c? m??? ?x??nsiv?—t? ????t $4.9 ?illi?n. H?w?v??, t??s ???, w?il? t?? s??vic? ??s m??? ??????ss, t?? ???j?ct?? ??ic? t?? ??m?ins ?t ????t $5.2 ?illi?n—??t El?ct?ic B??t ??s ???n “inc?ntiviz??” t? ????c? c?st. “W?’v? ??n? ? l?t ?? w??k l?st ???? ?n c?st,” G???ins s?i?.
T?? U.S. C?n???ss—???tic?l??l? R??. R?n?? F????s (R-VA), c??i?m?n ?? H??s? A?m?? S??vic? C?mmitt??’s S????w?? ?n? P??j?cti?n F??c?s s??c?mmitt??, ?n? ??nkin? m?m??? R??. J?? C???tn?? (D-CT)—??v? w??k?? ???? t? s?t?? ? N?ti?n?l S??-B?s?? D?t????nc? F?n? t? ??l? t?? N?v? t? ??? ??? t?? ??????m. I? t?? N?v? ??? t? ??? ??? t?? ORP ??t ?? its s?i???il?in? ?cc??nts, it w??l? ?ll ??t ??cim?t? t?? s??vic?’s ????l?? s?i? c?nst??cti?n c?????s—c?ns?min? m?n?? ??? ?tt?ck s??m??in?s, s????c? s?i?s ?n? ?v?n ?i?c???t c???i??s. T??s, C?n???ss ?n? t?? P?nt???n ??v? t? ?in? s?m?w?? t? ??? ??? t?? ORP wit???t ??m??in? t?? N?v?. T?? P?nt???n ?n? C?n???ss s?t?? ? s?????t? ??n? t? ??? ??? t?? ??i?in?l O?i?-cl?ss t? s?c??? Am??ic?’s n?cl??? ??t????nt—t?? c??nt?? will lik?l? ??v? t? ?? s? ???in t? ??? ??? t?? ORP.