US to procure 14 submarines for $76 billion, nearly as much as India's defence budget
The United States has awarded $76.6 billion in contracts to General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls for the construction of 14 new submarines. This procurement is part of a strategic effort to modernize the US nuclear deterrent and maintain undersea dominance against China.
Why it matters
The massive investment underscores the escalating naval arms race in the Indo-Pacific and the strategic importance of the nuclear triad.
As the great power game continues to simmer in the Indo-Pacific, the United States is investing a whopping $76.6 billion to procure fourteen submarines. India's defence budget for this fiscal year is around $85 billion.This comes at a time when China is also strengthening its submarine arm. As this new arms race is well underway, the United States has been struggling with an aging submarine fleet. The Columbia-class of nuclear powered ballistic missile launching submarines or SSBNs, which initially began life as the Ohio Replacement Submarine.
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