Testimony - 2023 Admiral Caldwell SASC Testimony

Statement of Admiral James F. Caldwell on the FY 2024 Budget Request Before the Senate Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces April 18, 2023.

The following Major Project Summary was included:

"Major Projects

COLUMBIA Class Propulsion Plant The COLUMBIA Class ballistic missile submarine remains the Navy's number one acquisition priority. Naval Reactors is delivering the life-of-ship reactor core and the electric drive propulsion system for the COLUMBIA Class. To date, multiple lead ship reactor plant components have been delivered, and the reactor core is on track to support lead ship delivery in 2027. The FY 2024 budget includes $52.9 million to continue reactor plant design, fabrication, and safety analysis work required for lead ship reactor testing. Additionally, Naval Reactors will start the lead ship motor module testing of the electric drive propulsion system at the compatibility test facility in Philadelphia, PA.

S8G Prototype Refueling Overhaul - The FY 2024 budget request does not include additional funding for the refueling overhaul of the New York land-based prototype, as previously provided funding will be sufficient to complete the project. With strong oversight from Naval Reactors, the overhaul is on track to complete in late 2023. Consistent support from the committee has enabled the project to work through upgrades, maintenance and performance testing challenges, and meet key milestones. As an example of the impact of Naval Reactors efforts, this reactor core, called the Technology Demonstration Core, will not only train future operators for twenty years but also includes COLUMBIA Class type fuel modules. This has helped to prove out production scale manufacturing for COLUMBIA. I look forward to ensuring my relief is able to deliver the final update on this multi-year project in next year’s appearance before the Committee as we resume training on this site.

Spent Fuel Handling Recapitalization Project - Naval Reactors is continuing construction of the Naval Spent Fuel Handling Facility at the Naval Reactors Facility in Idaho. The Naval Spent Fuel Handling Facility is essential to our mission to manage naval spent nuclear fuel and support aircraft carrier and submarine fleet requirements. The FY 2024 budget request includes $199.3 million for continuation of this project through near-term key milestones. During the last several years, the project has encountered several challenges. Specifically, the COVID-19 pandemic introduced work delays and additional costs for final design activities and active construction subcontracts. The discovery of unexpected bedrock conditions upon completion of site excavation work resulted in additional effort to remediate the bedrock and begin construction of the massive concrete foundations for the facility. More recently, we worked through subcontractor performance issues and continuing 4 significant volatility with economic conditions resulting in a revised acquisition plan for the Project and additional funding requirements. Consistent with the revised acquisition plan and funding need, I approved a revision to the Project’s Performance Baseline in October of 2022. Funding in FY 2024 will be vital to implementing our revised construction sequence and achieving the project milestones in the Performance Baseline revision. Naval Reactors remains committed to keeping the committee informed of progress on this complex and large-scale infrastructure project. "