The Navy Has a Big Problem: Not Enough Attack Submarines

Music to Russia and China’s ears. 

byDavid Axe

In 2018, the U.S. Navy has finally begun to come to terms with a long-term problem that has been decades in the making.

The fleet has too few attack submarines. And arresting the growing shortfall — never mind reversing it — could prove too expensive.

The Navy needs 66 nuclear-powered attack and guided-missile submarines according to a 2016 assessment by then-Navy secretary Ray Mabus. But in mid-2018 the sailing branch possessed just 56 attack and guided-missile boats — SSNs and SSGNs, respectively, in Navy parlance.

The current force includes 13 Virginia-class vessels, 36 boats of the Los Angeles class, three Seawolfs and four former Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines that, in the early 2000s, the Navy converted into SSGNs carrying non-nuclear Tomahawk cruise missiles.

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