The U.S. Navy's main submarine that is in production today--the USS Virginia-class--still needs much test work to determine if it is survivable in all mission sets that were performed by the USS Los Angeles-class that it is replacing, according to a recent DOD test report (PDF). Various needed areas of improvement identified in a 2009 classified report on the Virginia sub program still have not been addressed.
Also, one of the combat systems which will be put into all of our submarine classes known as the Acoustic Rapid Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Insertion (A-RCI) and AN/BYG-1 Combat Control System is not providing sub crews enough combat situational awareness (PDF here).
As DC says "Pacific Pivot", it appears more and more what is demonstrated with a variety of DOD gold-plated weapons systems is "Pacific Paper Tiger".
None of this mentioned by today's fan-magazine defense press.
Most of today's DOD weapon's systems development seems to go on the assumption that concepts like war attrition, do not exist. The idea that we may lose a $15B aircraft carrier, a $6B dreadnought with the name of "destroyer"(DDX), $2B Burke destroyers, $2-3B submarines, $3B flat-tops for the USMC with no well deck, and Littoral Combat Ships that can't fight their way out of a paper bag (assuming they show up to the operational area), seem of little concern to our prince-Admirals.
Finding a job in the defense industry post-retirement?
THAT is important.
Consider that over 70 years ago when WWII started in Europe, the Allies suffered significant ship losses from simple, diesel electric submarines and naval mines.
A threat that today's U.S. Navy is far from mastering. Yet, all we hear from the admirals is, "buy...buy...buy", defective or not.
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