Defense Budget Prioritizes Procurement and R&D Amid Rising Costs and Debate Over Amphibious Ships.
The US Navy has indefinitely paused the San Antonio-class amphibious warship program due to rising costs, according to Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday. The production line at HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding in Mississippi is running behind and the price tag is rising. The Navy requested funding for LPD-32 in its fiscal 2023 budget last spring and announced it would then truncate the program after three ships, despite previous plans for 13. Lawmakers, unhappy with that move, added advanced procurement funds for an LPD-33.