High costs sinking construction of submarines

A long-delayed doubling of submarine construction can’t begin any sooner than 2012 because of ongoing difficulties in getting costs under control, the Navy’s top officer who oversees submarine building said Monday. At a briefing for reporters, Rear Adm. William Hilarides, program executive officer for submarines, took issue with claims by shipyard executives that a cost target of $2 billion per vessel could be met by doubling production years sooner.