Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said the service branch will test the technologies developed for its future destroyer, attack submarine and fighter before moving forward with large-scale production to ensure the maturity and cost-effectiveness of the platforms, USNI News reported Monday.
“So, my hope, in the Department of the Navy and the Marine Corps, is that before we move forward with producing the next DDG(X), SSN(X) and NGAD, is that we have designed maturity on these platforms,” Del Toro said.
The Navy is working on new programs to develop a new class of guided-missile destroyers, a next-generation nuclear attack submarine and future fighter and unmanned combat aircraft.
Del Toro noted that cost performance and risk management will be prioritized for the new systems.
The official said the Navy must “be realistic” about how fast it should make progress with the development of the new platform before committing to a major acquisition program.
