Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

The Navy is currently developing technologies and studying design options for a planned new cruiser called the CGX. The Navy wants to procure CGXs as replacements for its 22 Ticonderoga CG-47 class Aegis cruisers, which are projected to reach their retirement age of 35 years between 2021 and 2029. The Navy wants CGXs to be highly capable ships, particularly in the areas of anti-air warfare AAW and ballistic missile defense BMD. The Navys FY2009 budget called for procuring the first CGX in FY2011. Beginning in late- 2008, however, it was reported that the Navy had decided to defer the procurement of the first CGX by several years, to about FY2017. Consistent with these press reports, on April 6, 2009, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced-as part of a series of decisions concerning the Department of Defenses DODs proposed FY2010 defense budget-a decision to delay the CG-X next generation cruiser program to revisit both the requirements and acquisition strategy for the program. The Navys proposed FY2010 budget defers procurement of the first CGX beyond FY2015 and requests 340 million in research and development funding for the CGX program.