The argument could also be made that delayingconstruction of the new Ford class of carriers might actually increase the long-term cost of carriers, since the next-generation carrier is designed to reduce crewing requirements by hundreds of personnel, and manpower expenses are the biggest driver of life-cycle costs for aircraft carriers.
Thus, delaying carrier construction would allow some near-term cost avoidance, but over the longer term the service would end up paying more for each carrier and other combat systems such as the Virginia-class attack submarine.
Republicans went to great lengths to try to avoid a vote on the Democratic "Moms" resolution, although they argued that they were trying to keep irrelevant debate from delaying the pending military construction spending bill.