Latest GAO report on Columbia class focuses on supplier base
Report by the US GAO details delays to supplier outsourcing plan in the Columbia submarine programme, with a potentially far-reaching impact on the build schedule.
As the USN’s Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) build lurches forward, a key report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recommended that improved quality assurance inspections on the supplier base could be critical in avoiding further programme delays.
In November 2020, the USN awarded a $9.4 billion contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat to begin construction on the first two boats of the Columbia-class SSBN, which will replace the existing Ohio-class platforms. A total of 12 Columbia class will be procured to replace the 14 Ohio-class SSBNs in USN service.
In total the USN
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