Overview
- A Congressional Budget Office assessment cited by analyst Eric Labs estimates the lead BBG(X) hull at roughly $15–$22 billion, with later ships possibly $10–$15 billion if labor and production conditions improve.
- Congressional researchers and Navy materials describe a conventionally powered design over 35,000 tons with a larger weapons mix than current cruisers and destroyers, including potential hypersonics and directed‑energy systems.
- U.S. Navy leaders warn the industrial base lacks sufficient skilled labor, with Secretary of the Navy John Phelan pointing to a need to hire roughly 250,000 shipyard workers over the next decade.
- Analysts caution that arming the ships with nuclear‑capable cruise missiles could increase escalation risks because adversaries may not distinguish conventional from nuclear launches in a crisis.
- The concept remains in design planning with construction targeted for the early 2030s and talk of 20–25 hulls, yet experts say the program faces significant political vulnerability and could be canceled before delivery.