Acquisition Chief: LCS Program 'Broke' the Navy

[NWCorona]

Source: Military



The Navy's littoral combat ship is costing taxpayers billions more than budgeted, failing survivability assessments, and may never live up to the original vision for the program, a panel of Navy and government oversight officials told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday.

The hearing, which focused on continued testing and acquisition of the small surface vessels, came at the close of a 12-month period in which five of the eight littoral combat ships in service have suffered major mechanical and engineering casualties. Navy officials have ordered dramatic program overhauls and reviews of ship employment and training in response to the breakdowns.

And despite the program's underperformance, costs continue to skyrocket, testified Paul Francis, managing director of acquisition and sourcing management at the Government Accountability Office. The ship's unit cost has more than doubled from $220 million to $478 million apiece, and plans to conduct a "block buy" of 12 redesigned littoral combat ships, to be called frigates, will put taxpayers on the hook for nearly $14 billion, he wrote in a GAO report released Thursday.

"The miracle of LCS didn't happen," Francis told the Senate panel. "... Once the money wheel starts to turn, the business imperatives of budgets and contracts and ship construction take precedence over acquisition and oversight principles."

Read more: http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/12/02/acquisition-chief-lcs-program-broke-navy.html

---

The F-35 is doing the same thing to the Air Force.

[LuckyLib]

2. Which congresscritter does this pork belong to?

[Pantagruel]

3. This was another Dubya fiasco

Rumsfeld decided it was a great idea in 2002, if I recall, and went all in on the concept.

[LuckyLib]

4. Itfigures. Rummy. Advancing the cause of defense spending at all times, whether

the stuff is needed or wanted.

[jpak]

5. They may rename them "frigates" but they will still be woefully under armed

They should just specialize them for mine warfare and call it quits.

[DeminPennswoods]

6. Rosie Scenario

strikes again!

[TomVilmer]

7. Over 12,000 workers at 500 suppliers in 37 states...

"The Lockheed Martin-led industry team has been awarded a contract by the US Navy for one fully funded Freedom-class littoral combat ship (LCS 25). Over 12,000 people and 500 suppliers in 37 states contribute to this critical programme and will continue to do so as we transition to the new Freedom-class Frigate in the coming years. The new vessel, which is scheduled to be delivered in 2020, will be the 11th procured under the 2010 block buy contract and the 13th Freedom-class variant. Lockheed has already delivered three ships, while seven are in various stages of construction and testing, and three more in long-lead production."

Main thing is the many supported jobs, not the building of ships.

[KatyMan]

9. Wouldn't it be better

For the government to subsidize 12k jobs doing something less wasteful and more positive?

[keithbvadu2]

10. Just threaten to offshore the jobs and Trump will throw taxpayer money at them as 'incentives'

[DavidDvorkin]

8. It's the tip of iceberg

Much of the defense budget is made up of crap like this, and it's not just breaking the Navy, it's breaking the country.

[Krytan11c]

11. Meanwhile us indirect Infantry grunts

Were driving around in early Vietnam era M113 when I got out in 2012.