The first of Navy’s 14 Ohio-class submarines will reach the end of its lifecycle by 2027 — making the launch of its intended replacement, the Columbia-class submarine, an urgent national priority.

The Tariq class: Russian-made submarines, each 74 metres long, capable of launching cruise missiles or laying mines. Despite their advanced age, they are still used for strategic missions.

With a naval fleet that includes as many as 71 nuclear submarines, the U.S. Navy possesses the largest and arguably most capable nuclear submarine force in the world.

Plans also call for the submarine to incorporate the flexibility and operational hardiness of the Columbia class, which itself is facing staggering delays in development and is currently projected ...