Future Submarine Force Numbers

[Intel Source: The Sub Report] There's a very interesting article from January of this year, reprinted at the MOAA website, discussing the future of the submarine force from a "shipbuilding plans" perspective. I don't have time to dissect it completely right now (I have to get into work really early almost every day this week) but hope to do so tonight. The one thing that jumped out at me was the author's opinion that Congress won't authorize any more Virginia-class boat past SSN 783. I think he's wrong, but the rest of the article seems to ring true, so that concerns me.

Here's what he has to say about the options for future SSBNs:

The 313-ship fleet is to retain 14 SSBN until the mid-2020s replacement SSBN(X) will be required to enter production at a one-per-year rate to replace existing "Ohio" class boats. One future option would be to reduce the number to 10, with the oldest four being converted to SSGN configuration. The size would likely be twice that of a SSN-774 and likely accommodate only 17 TRIDENT D-5 (including future conventional warhead versions), but have some provision for cruise missiles and Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV), using a hull based on SSN-774 or its replacement. Navy estimates costs at US$3.6Bn, but this will be more likely in the range of US$6.2Bn each.

More later...

Update 0036 07 June: Didn't get around to it tonight. Maybe tomorrow...