The US Navy goes all in on submarines: undersea priority in a $65.8 billion plan

The US Navy has requested 34 new ships in a record $65.8 billion shipbuilding budget for FY27 — and it is betting on submarines. The five-year plan earmarks $124.9 billion for undersea forces, targeting 5 Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarines and 10 Virginia-class attack boats, the last four being the first Block VII.

The Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine is the backbone of US Navy undersea power.

At a Glance

What: US Navy FY27 shipbuilding plan
Budget: $65.8 billion — 34 new ships (a record request)
Submarine funding: $124.9 billion for FY27-31
Columbia: 5 ballistic-missile submarines (one a year)
Virginia: 10 attack submarines (6 Block VI + first 4 Block VII)
Industrial base: $6.2 billion — capacity for 1 Columbia + 2 Virginias a year

All in on the undersea

Under its newly released plan for FY27, the US Navy is requesting 34 new ships at a record $65.8 billion. The plan’s most striking feature is how heavily it tilts toward submarines: a total of $124.9 billion is earmarked for undersea forces across FY27-31.

About $62 billion of that will procure 10 Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines over five years. Six are Block VI boats; the remaining four are the first Block VII submarines ever procured. For the Columbia-class — the backbone of strategic deterrence — the plan calls for 5 ballistic-missile submarines, one per year.

In the FY27-31 plan, four of the ten Virginia-class boats will be the first-ever Block VII standard.

Industrial base and production target

The submarine industrial base will receive $6.2 billion across the FYDP. The goal is clear: stabilize the supply chain and grow the workforce to lift production to at least one Columbia and two Virginias per year. With the US also committed to selling Virginias to Australia under AUKUS, production capacity is seen as a strategic bottleneck.

Item	Value
Plan	FY27 shipbuilding plan
Total budget	$65.8 billion — 34 ships
Submarine funding (FY27-31)	$124.9 billion
Columbia (SSBN)	5 boats (one a year)
Virginia (SSN)	10 boats (6 Block VI + 4 Block VII)
Industrial base	$6.2 billion
Production target	1 Columbia + 2 Virginias a year

MİLDEN: Turkey's national submarine project, a symbol of indigenous undersea design capability. — MİLDEN: Turkey’s national submarine project, a symbol of indigenous undersea design capability.

What it means for Turkey

America’s investment on this scale shows submarines remain a decisive element of 21st-century sea power. Turkey is advancing on two tracks: in the near term, the Reis class (Type 214TN) builds modern AIP submarine production and integration experience, while in the long term the MİLDEN (National Submarine) project targets a fully indigenous design. That accumulated know-how is a notable reference for both deterrence and a future export table.