After Dec. 11, a subsequent continuing resolution could prompt Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to request a funding anomaly to enable the building of an Ohio-class replacement test facility later this year. The program’s Fiscal Year 2015 budget requests about $200 million more than Fiscal 2014, John Evans, NAVSEA deputy director of naval warfare told Weapons Complex Morning Briefing during a Nov. 14 interview at Navy Yard in Washington. To keep the program on schedule, the Naval Reactors division of NAVSEA must break ground on the facility in Philadelphia by Jan. 1, which would constitute a new start, something generally not allowed under a CR.
The current CR began on Oct. 1 and provides funding at FY 2014 levels through Dec. 11. “Like any other program, if my ’15 funding need was the same as ’14, and it was a year-long CR, then I would believe that [Congress] would give me all the money I needed to do the program,” said Evans, Ohio Replacement Program executive officer. “However, our ’15 budget is about $200 million more total than it was in ’14. So, I would have a problem then, because by the end of the year, I would be, by my plan, $200 million short. Consequently, that’s one reason you might ask for an anomaly. Then [the Defense Department] would have to prioritize whether I kept the schedule to my plan or some other area would have to be reduced in order to fulfill my requirement.” While Evans said DoD has had discussions about requesting an anomaly in a following CR, he said the department has not decided yet as lawmakers mull post-Dec. 11 funding. So far, the Navy has funded the Ohio-class replacement since 2008, through research, development, testing and evaluation funds.