Procurement Article Index : Current 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
 Latest
 News 		  Most
 Read 		  Most
 Commented		  Hot
 Topics

December 24, 2002

The U.S. Navy will put into service six warships in 2004. These include four Arleigh Burke class destroyers, one Virginia class attack submarine and one Seawolf class attack submarine. But sixteen older ships are being taken out of service, including three attack submarines, two Ticonderoga class cruisers and five Spruance class destroyers. This would leave the Navy with 291 ships, down from 301 in fiscal year 2003 and 313 in fiscal year 2002. The navy wants to expand it current fleet to 375 ships in the next decade. The expanded fleet will still have just 12 aircraft carriers, as it does now. There will also be 37 amphibious ships, 160 surface combatants and 73 submarines. New surface ships and submarines will have to be built, as many older ships reach the end of their useful lives in the next decade. To get this program going, the navy is asking for an additional $85 billion for the next five years.