(Dan Tri) – The US Navy’s contract worth more than 22 billion USD to build 9 new submarines is said to strengthen its ability to cope with the growing power of the Chinese Navy.
A US Navy submarine USS Virginia (Photo: US Navy)
On December 2, the US Navy approved the most expensive shipbuilding contract ever, worth more than 22.2 billion USD, to build the most modern submarines in the world.
The `huge` contract to build 9 Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines was deployed just a few months after the US Navy Commander in the Pacific warned about China’s increasingly strong naval power and concerns.
“This contract represents the US Navy’s latest response to China’s growing military power and aggressive actions in the Western Pacific,” said Carl Schuster, former director of operations in China.
“The Chinese Navy is getting stronger and bigger to the point where the US Navy is forced to deal with it.
Virginia-class submarines are the key multi-purpose submarines operating under the sea of the US Navy.
18 Virginia-class submarines have been commissioned into the US Navy fleet, while 10 others are still under construction.
However, the nine new submarines will represent a significant upgrade compared to their `predecessors` of the Virginia class.
Great leap in American capabilities
Rear Admiral David Goggins, executive director of the US Navy’s submarine program, called the nine Virginia-class submarines about to be built a `leap forward in the US Navy’s submarine capabilities`.
The new submarines will be larger with a displacement of 10,200 tons, more than the current submarines’ displacement of 7,800 tons.
In addition, the new submarines are also capable of generating their own water and oxygen and diving deep under the sea for months during a deployment.
“The submarine force is the foundation for the strength and reach of our combined naval force.
Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, senior member of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, also praised the new submarine contract.
“Next generation submarines will give our forces a unique national security advantage.
The new submarines will be built by prime contractor General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut, and subcontractor Huntington Ingalls Industries.
The nine new submarines will be added to the fleet and replace a number of the US Navy’s outdated Los Angeles-class attack submarines, which have been in operation since the 1970s.
The US Navy said the new submarines are expected to be delivered between 2025-2029.
Balance naval power in the Pacific
According to experts, the US is facing unprecedented pressure in the Pacific region, largely from the Chinese Navy.
The China Military Power Report released by the US Department of Defense in May said that the Chinese Navy will operate 65-70 submarines by 2020.
Within the next five years, China is expected to begin operating advanced nuclear attack submarines similar to the US Virginia-class ships.
An August report by analysts in Australia raised questions about the US’s ability to keep up with China’s development, and warned that Washington was facing a crisis.
Meanwhile, a report by the Center for American Studies at the University of Sydney also issued a warning about the burden of the US Navy’s attack submarines in the current context.
“Put simply, as the above-sea environment becomes more dangerous due to China’s deployment of cruise missiles, hypersonic technology and air defense systems, America’s long-term advantage in subsurface warfare
Admiral Philip Davidson, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii, told the US Congress earlier this year that the submarine activities of three US adversaries in the Pacific, including China
Admiral Davidson affirmed that he needed to keep up with that increase to maintain America’s position as a naval superpower in the region.
Meanwhile, Admiral Davidson said that he had only received half of the submarines needed in the Pacific to maintain daily operations.
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