⬟ Pentagon May Seek More Than 12 Columbia-Class Nuclear-Armed Submarines

The Pentagon is reportedly considering expanding the Columbia-class SSBN fleet beyond the planned 12 vessels to address evolving nuclear deterrence needs.

Dallas Hartley
April 21, 2025

🌊 Pentagon Proposes New Class of Large Autonomous Undersea Vessels LINK

🛡️ Marines’ New MADIS Air Defense System Debuts at Balikatan 25 LINK

⚓️ HII Delivers First Lionfish UUV to U.S. Navy Under Multi-Year Program LINK

⬟ Pentagon May Seek More Than 12 Columbia-Class Nuclear-Armed Submarines LINK

🛰️ NRO Surpasses 200 Satellite Launches in Two Years LINK

🎱 Plus 4 other news stories you may like

The Pentagon is exploring a new class of large unmanned undersea vehicles (LUUVs) to strengthen distributed maritime operations.
Officials envision autonomous submarines capable of extended endurance, significant payload delivery, and independent deep-water operations without crew.
The push aims to counter China’s expanding naval presence and integrate unmanned platforms into future fleet architecture.

The U.S. Marine Corps showcased the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) during Balikatan 25 exercises alongside Philippine forces.
MADIS is designed to detect, track, and neutralize aerial threats, including drones and fixed-wing aircraft, offering mobile air defense for expeditionary units.
The system’s deployment enhances U.S.-Philippines defense cooperation amid rising regional tensions in the Indo-Pacific.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) delivered the first Lionfish unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) to the Navy under a multi-year procurement program.
Lionfish is intended for mine countermeasures, intelligence collection, and seabed warfare missions with extended autonomy and modular payload options.
The system’s delivery represents a step forward in the Navy’s undersea modernization efforts emphasizing distributed, unmanned capabilities.

The Pentagon is reportedly considering expanding the Columbia-class SSBN fleet beyond the planned 12 vessels to address evolving nuclear deterrence needs.
Defense officials point to heightened strategic competition with China and Russia as drivers behind reassessing force structure requirements.
Increasing the Columbia-class fleet would add resilience to the sea-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad amid anticipated threats to ballistic missile submarines.

The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) announced it has launched more than 200 satellites over the past two years, rapidly expanding U.S. space intelligence capabilities.
The milestone reflects a shift toward proliferated satellite architectures for resilience, with small, networked constellations replacing dependence on a few large satellites.
Officials emphasized that the NRO’s rapid deployment rate strengthens real-time global surveillance and ensures survivability against adversary anti-satellite weapons.

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