Pentagon budget 2027: US Navy seeks about USD2 billion to buy, overhaul aircraft carriers

The Pentagon's proposed Fiscal Year 2027 spending plan includes funding for Ford-class carriers like Enterprise, shown here under construction. (Michael Fabey)

The US Navy's proposed fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget requests about USD1.9 billion in advance procurement for its carrier replacement pogramme to buy Ford-class ships meant to replace the existing Nimitz-class vessels, according to documents released by the Pentagon and accessed by Janes on 6 April.

The USN also wants about USD1.4 billion to cover full-funding commitments dating to FY 2020 for carrier Doris Miller (CVN 81), according to the documents. The total procurement cost for Miller is estimated to be about USD15.2 billion, the documents said. Miller and Enterprise were procured under a two-ship buy contract.

Another USD678.9 million was requested to cover full-funding commitments dating to FY 2018 for the carrier replacement programme, according to the documents. That includes USD641.9 million in discretionary funding and another USD37 million in “mandatory” funding.

The documents use “mandatory” to refer to spending that could be added this fiscal year through a potential budget reconciliation process, which only requires a simple majority to pass, and can obviate a Senate filibuster if the legislation meets certain requirements.

The budget request includes another USD4.4 billion for carrier refuelling and complex overhaul (RCOH) work to cover full-funding commitments from FY 2025, which includes about USD30 million in mandatory funding and the remainder in discretionary funding, according to the documents.

For more, please see: HII notes progress on aircraft carrier programmes