No. of Recommendations: 1
The Congressional Budget Office estimated that a future destroyer of 14,500 tons would cost $4.4 billion or $300,000 per ton. That would imply a battleship cost of about $9.1 billion, allowing for some economies of scale. Lead ships are typically 50 percent more expensive than the average, so BBG 1 would likely cost $13.5 billion, about as much as an aircraft carrier.
Well. Better ramp up the public subscriptions for the ship, because, unlike the Zumwalt, LCS, and Connie, Trump has stuck his name on the thing, which will make it uncancelable, as long as he draws breath. I proposed the subscription scheme on a Naval history board on FB, where people know about the other ships financed by subscription, and it was pretty popular: 11 likes, and no laffs.
I noticed that Ryan's piece talks about a gas turbine/diesel plant, vs nuke. That would hold cost down, but his nibs doesn't care about cost, because it's about HIM.
Ryan also noted the Navy already has a USS Defiant, a tug.
Steve
