Overview
- CBO analyst Eric Labs told the Surface Navy Association that a 35,000-ton design points to roughly $18–$19 billion for the first hull, within a broader $15–$22 billion range.
- Slides presented by CBO showed follow-on ships at about $9–$13 billion if ordered now, or $10–$15 billion if initial procurement slips to 2030.
- Labs cautioned that workforce shortfalls, supply chain constraints and integration of new sensors and weapons could push costs beyond the early estimates.
- Congressional researchers warned the concept could crowd out funding and time for the Navy’s DDG(X) destroyer effort, raising risk if the battleship path is later reversed.
- Navy materials continue to depict a >35,000-ton, heavily armed combatant with hypersonic and nuclear-capable cruise missiles, but the effort remains conceptual and unfunded.