DD (X) Program: Developments & Alternatives

DD (X) Destroyer

The US Congress has expressed skepticism about the DD(X) program, capping the price at a level substantially below the estimated $3-5 billion per ship, and cutting advance procurement funding – even as they made procurement changes that would increase the cost of the ships. The cap may yet be undone by the Senate during the budget reconciliation process, but the message has been received loud and clear.

DefenseTech summarizes the lobbying efforts underway, discussions of naval combat in the littorals, the program’s largest current technical gaps, and one alternative that’s being touted: re-activating the U.S. Navy’s Iowa Class battleships to provide naval fire support at around $1.5 billion each.