2006 GAO Report on Navy Submarine and Ship Propulsion Systems

This GAO report was requested by The Honorable Roscoe G. Bartlett Chairman Subcommittee on Projection Forces Committee on Armed Services House of Representatives to review the Navy’s assessment of alternative propulsion methods for submarines and surface combatants.

Two Navy studies were examined including the 2005 NR “quick look” analysis of comparative costs of nuclear and fossil-fueled surface ships. The “quick-look” analysis indicated that the breakeven points for a notional large deck amphibious warfare ship (LHA/LHD) and a notional surface combatant are $80 and $205, per barrel respectively. However, since this analysis contained several limitations and assumptions, a more comprehensive analysis may yield different results.