U.S. Navy submits independent assessment of SSBN(X) to leadership

Staff, Inside The Navy
9 October 2015

The Navy recently submitted an independent review team assessment to service leadership for the multibillion-dollar Ohio-class replacement ballistic missile submarine program, according to a service spokeswoman. Navy acquistition chief Sean Stackley directed the assessment. "The IRT assessment has been forwarded to leadership as part of efforts to develop a successful build strategy for VIRGINIA and OHIO Replacement
submarines while ensuring the most capable submarine force at the most affordable price," Naval Sea Systems Command spokeswoman Colleen O'Rourke wrote in an Oct. 8 email to Inside the Navy.
In an annual program manager assessment sent to Pentagon acquisition chief Frank Kendall that was released Oct. 5, Ohio-class replacement submarine program manager John Evans stated the program has made "significant gains" in driving down non-recurring engineering, construction and life cycle sustainment costs by incentivizing innovation design and production ideas for the shipbuilder.