Pentagon Budget 2026: US Navy splits submarine funding requests

The US Navy plans to fund two Virginia-class submarines, like the one shown here, through base and reconciliation funding streams in Fiscal Year 2026. (Michael Fabey)

While the US Navy (USN) continues to support submarine-building programmes with its Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 request, the service is splitting the funding between its base request and those the USN expected to funded through reconciliation legislation, according to USN budget request documents released on 25 June.

“The FY 2026 request funds one Columbia-class nuclear ballistic missile submarine (in [the] base [request]) as the first of three years of incremental funding, as well as advance procurement for the remaining ships,” the USN notes in its request documents.

“Two Block VI Virginia-class submarines (one in base and one in mandatory [reconciliation]) are procured, as well as advance procurement for FY 2027 and FY 2028 ships,” the USN noted.

The base FY2026 budget request to complete funding necessary for the Columbia-class strategic submarine (SSBN) is about USD3.9 billion, according to USN budget request documents. Those ships are meant to replace the ageing Ohio-class submarine fleet.

The base request to finish funding needed to acquire a Viriginia-class attack submarine (SSN) in FY2026 is USD816.7 million, according to USN budget request documents. The reconciliation request includes about USD6.5 billion for another SSN, for a total of about USD7.3 billion for two Virginias.

The FY2025 enacted funding amount for Virginia boats was about USD7.3 billion, according to the request documents.

The request also includes a base amount of USD3.1 billion in base FY2026 advance procurement for SSNs and about USD615.9 million in reconciliation funding.