Yeah. The idea of retrofitting nuclear powered subs with diesel was always ridiculous and only ever going to lead to grief for all parties.
To keep costs vaguely under control and get the US subs in the water in about a decade much of the work will need to be done in the US ship yard....
. .... and a baseball bat would need to be welded against anyone seeking to muck with the US spec.
Will this happen? Probably not if past experience is anything to go by. F wit procurement "experts" and spec meddlers are likely to stuff this purchase up as well.
Predicting circumstances in 10-15 years time isn't easy. Xi and his PLA supported faction maybe long gone by then.
Don't write off the US just yet. China is similarly fractured.
