Bravo Sierra.
We are already behind the curve on maintaining our nuclear attack sub force at current levels with the new Virginia Class builds. Fixing the Miami is far cheaper than adding a new Virginia sub into the cycle at this point.
My guess is that what they plan is simply further reduce our overall number. Obama is allowing our naval strength to be overall reduced (and this is one vessel in that) as the Chinese continue to grow their Navy far, far more quickly
The number of unknowns in this rebuild have to be incomprehensible. The unknown / unresolved / unknowable effects of fire on metallurgy would seem to be insurmountable.
17 years? He got 17 years for this? His life is not worth the price of the sub let alone the 7 injured. He needs to be snuffed.
I think they were weighing the replacement cost with the repair costs over the life expectancy of the sub. According to this article, this sub has a life expectancy of only 10 more years.