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Summary

Some Members of Congress, particularly on the House Armed Services Committee, have expressed interest in expanding the use of nuclear power to a wider array of Navy surface ships, especially the Navy's planned CG(X) cruiser. The Navy wants to procure the first CG(X) in FY2011, and is currently studying design options for the ship, including the use of nuclear power. A 2006 Navy study concluded the following, among other things: ! In constant FY2007 dollars, building a Navy surface combatant or amphibious ship with nuclear power rather than conventional power would add roughly $600 million to $800 million to its procurement cost. ! The total life-cycle cost of a medium-size nuclear-powered surface combatant would equal that of a conventionally powered mediumsize surface combatant if the cost of crude oil averages $70 per barrel to $225 per barrel over the life of the ship. ! Nuclear-power should be considered for near-term applications for medium-size surface combatants. ! Compared to conventionally powered ships, nuclear-powered ships have advantages in terms of both time needed to surge to a distant theater of operation for a contingency, and in terms of operational presence (time on station) in the theater of operation. In assessing whether the CG(X) or other future Navy surface ships should be nuclear-powered, Congress may consider a number of issues, including cost, operational effectiveness, ship construction, ship maintenance and repair, crew training, ports calls and forward homeporting, and environmental impact. Potential options for Congress include but are not limited to the following: ! for the CG(X) or other future Navy surface ships, direct the Navy to provide Congress with acquisition plans (including annual funding requirements) for both conventionally powered and nuclear-powered versions, so that Congress can assess both plans; ! direct the Navy to fund the procurement of initial fuel cores for nuclear-powered ships through an appropriation account other than the Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy (SCN) account; ! direct the Navy to build the CG(X) as a nuclear-powered ship; ! pass permanent legislation, perhaps similar to the so-called Title VIII legislation of the 1970s, requiring future Navy ships of certain kinds to be nuclear-powered; ! provide initial research and development funding to start work on adapting the design of the Ford (CVN-78) class aircraft carrier nuclear power plant for use in the CG(X); and ! direct the Navy to study the option of, or begin the process of, certifying Northrop Grumman Ship Systems and/or General Dynamics' Bath Iron Works to build nuclear-powered ships. This report will be updated as events warrant.

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