Hong Kong (CNN) The US Navy on Monday awarded its most expensive shipbuilding contract ever, more than $22.2 billion worth of the world's most advanced submarines. "The PLAN (Chinese Navy) is getting better and larger so the US Navy has to respond," he said. The Navy also has an option for a 10th sub in the contract, which would bring its value to $24 billion. The May 2019 China Military Power Report from the US Defense Department said the People's Liberation Army Navy will field 65 to 70 submarines by 2020. However, he told Congress in March that he was only getting half of the submarines needed in the Pacific on a daily basis.

Source: CNN December 03, 2019 06:45 UTC