Summary and Key Points: The U.S. Navy's Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines are essential to maintaining America's nuclear triad and ensuring strategic stability. Despite initial plans to build 14 submarines within 78 months, labor shortages and supply chain issues have delayed production.

-Manufacturer Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News shipbuilding facility has faced delays in delivering sections of the submarines, impacting the timeline. The Columbia-class subs are critical as the existing Ohio-class vessels, built during the Cold War, are set to retire by 2028.

-These advanced submarines will feature modern technology, including electric drive and enhanced acoustic performance, to ensure they remain undetectable.

US Navy Faces Delays in Crucial Columbia-Class Submarine Production

The U.S. Navy’s fleet of submarines are vital to America's nuclear triad. As such, the service’s incoming Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines will be essential to strategic stability. The Navy at one time hoped to build 14 of these submarines in a 78 month period, but this is no longer possible due to labor shortages and supply chain issues. 

According to the U.S. Naval Institute, the greatest obstacle to the Columbia class’s introduction involves manufacturer Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News shipbuilding facility in Virginia:

“Under the teaming arrangement for the Columbia program, lead contractor General Dynamics Electric Boat assembles the central barrel of the submarine’s hull at its yard in Groton, Conn., and its manufacturing facility in Quonset Point, R.I. Those modules built in New England are married to bow and stern sections that are constructed at Newport News and sent by barge up to the Columbia assembly hall in Connecticut. HII has been late in delivering the sections, delaying the timeline for construction.”

While the Columbia class is delayed, these vessels remain a high priority for the Navy. Since SSBNs guarantee nuclear retaliation against any enemy that attacks the U.S. with nuclear weapons, production of this class of boats is essential for national security. The existing Ohio-class vessels remain highly lethal, but they were built during the Cold War and are scheduled to retire by 2028 as they approach the end of their 42-year service life. In order to avoid a gap in capability, the Columbia-class subs must be operational by this time.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro talked about the significance of this new advanced class of submarines during the keel laying ceremony for the lead ship of the class, USS District of Columbia (SSBN 826), in June 2022. 

“Potential adversaries know the silent service is on patrol at this very moment, but they don’t know where and that protects us all,” Del Toro asserted, adding that “the venerable Ohio-class that has guarded us for decades is nearing the end of its service life. For the safety of our Sailors, and the security of our world, we must modernize our fleet, and our nuclear command, control, and communications systems.”

An Overview of the Columbia Class

The Columbia-class program started in 2007, when the U.S. Navy collaborated with industry partner General Dynamics Electric Boat to develop a next-generation submarine series. HII was awarded a contract for the design and construction of the new class and currently functions as Electric Boat’s major subcontractor responsible for engineering analysis, detail planning, development of components and technical services.

According to Naval Technology, these new submarines will feature X-shaped stern control surfaces and sail-mounted drive planes. The boats are also planned to run on electric drive instead of the reduction gearing and mechanical drive systems installed to power older nuclear-powered submarines. 

Each submarine will be equipped with 16 missile tubes for launching 16 Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles. In addition to these missiles, the Columbia-class vessels will sport Mk 48 torpedoes and enhanced acoustic performance. Equipped with the top-of-the-line sensors, the Columbia-class ballistic missile subs will sail quietly, making them extremely difficult for adversaries to detect.

About the Author: Maya Carlin

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.