The Navy’s Amphibious Warfare Force: Change Under Fiscal Constraints
Presentation
Presentation by Eric Labs, a senior analyst for naval forces and weapons in CBO’s National Security Division, at the National Defense Industrial Association’s 24th Annual Expeditionary Warfare Conference.
CBO estimates that the Navy’s 2020 shipbuilding plan would cost an average of $31 billion per year (in 2019 dollars) over 30 years. Under the plan, the fleet would grow from 290 ships today to the Navy’s overall goal of 355 in 2034 but would fall short of the Navy’s specific goals for some types of ships. In particular, the Navy’s plan would increase the amphibious warfare force from the current 32 ships to a high of 38 ships by 2026. A larger fleet would lead to higher operation and support costs.