USS Virginia ready for trials

The first of the US Navy's new Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) is preparing to join the fleet. USS Virginia (SSN-774) was commissioned into service on 23 October and will undergo a three-year trial and evaluation period before operational deployment.

www.janes.com...

with the virginia beginning trials and the first operational raptor being delivered, the US military is getting a big boost in capability now and in the next year

I'm wondering what's price tag of this because price tag of this has "magically" expanded after deal was made.

In 1997 GAO found that the NSSN program was not likely to meet the objective of producing a submarine that is significantly less costly than the Seawolf. Based on Navy estimates for a 30-ship, single shipbuilder program, the Seawolf's average acquisition cost was estimated to be about $1.85 billion compared to the NSSN's estimate of about $1.5 billion, and based on a 30-ship, two shipbuilder program, the Navy's current estimated acquisition cost for the fifth ship of the NSSN class had risen from about $1.5 billion to about $1.8 billion as of March 1996.

At a procurement rate of 1 boat per year, Virginia-class SSNs cost about $1.9 billion to $2.0 billion per boat to procure. This cost might decline to about $1.8 billion per boat at a procurement rate of 2 boats per year or $1.6-$1.7 billion per boat at a procurement rate of 3 or 4 boats per year.

www.globalsecurity.org...

Posted about USS Virginia delivery a couple of weeks ago

First Virginia-class Submarine Delivered To US Navy

Hmmm, It seems that prices on military weapons and vehicles, be it naval, aerial, or ground has the tendency to always go up nearing the end when it is nearly completed.

Almost as if it costs double for the end project to leave the hangor/harbor/garage.

Shattered OUT...