The US Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Contracts

Basic Nuclear Propulsion
(click to expand)

This DII Spotlight article covers American nuclear propulsion industrial base contracts since the beginning of FY 2006. The USA has had an all-nuclear submarine fleet for over 50 years, a policy that dates back to the visionary Admiral Hyman Rickover. On the surface, America’s aircraft carriers became an all-nuclear fleet with the retirement of the USS Kitty Hawk [CV 63], and FY 2008-09 spending legislation pushed the US Navy to use nuclear power in its future CG (X) cruisers and new amphibious ship classes. At present, however, carriers are the only nuclear-powered American surface ships on the drawing board.

The civilian nuclear sector has seen major advances over the last 2 decades, and so has the military sector. The commitment to a nuclear fleet includes funding for those technical advances, as well as work to maintain both the reactors on board American ships, and the industrial base that supports them.

Rapid Fire Nov. 21, 2012: EADS State Ownership, US Outlook

• Germany and France have reportedly agreed to end up each owning 12% of EADS. Deutsche Welle | Handelsblatt [in German].

• EADS North America CEO Sean O’Keefe expects defense budget cuts, whether the Administration and Congress reach a budget deal or not. Bloomberg.