US Navy Delays Ford-Class Carrier, Next-Gen Submarine Amid Budget, Readiness Concerns

The U.S. Navy is facing significant delays in its major shipbuilding programs, impacting strategic readiness and industrial capacity. The delivery of the newest Ford-class aircraft carrier, USS John F. Kennedy, has been delayed by two years, now expected to reach operational capacity no earlier than March 2027, with further delays expected for subsequent carriers. Concurrently, two large amphibious assault ships have also been delayed by a year, reducing available naval assets at a time when demonstrating strength, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, is critical. The Navy’s next-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine, SSN(X), originally slated for procurement in 2031, has been postponed to 2040 due to budget constraints and program complexity, raising concerns about maintaining undersea dominance amid rising global naval competition. The SSN(X) program, with a projected cost between $6.7 billion and $8.7 billion per vessel, aims to deliver unprecedented stealth, payload, and unmanned system integration capabilities, but the delays underscore challenges in balancing advanced technology development with funding and industrial base limitations. Navy leadership emphasizes the urgency of resolving retention, supply chain, and budgetary issues to meet ambitious goals for ship readiness and fleet expansion.