EDITORIAL COMMENT
Bids submitted for
more examples of
troubled LCS
The LCS programme has been plagued by cost overruns
and delays.
ay saw both industry teams Apart from cancelling ships other Miss), Chairman of the House Seapower
competing in the US Navy’s than Freedom and Independence, as part and Expeditionary Forces Subcommittee,
Mongoing Littoral Combat Ship of its action on the FY2008 defence who declared that ‘LCS will go into the
(LCS) programme submit their plans to budget, Congress did a number of things, textbooks to train future acquisition
build more of the ships. General Dynamics including accepting the cancellation of offi cials how not to run a programme.’
and Lockheed Martin are bidding to build ships 3-6, whilst funding procurement Th en there was a New York Times article,
more examples of the littoral warships, one additional LCS in FY2008 (which which declared that: ‘A project heralded
and the US Navy now plans to review the the US Navy now calls LCS-5). It also as the dawning of an innovative, low-cost
proposals and, hopefully, make a contract signifi cantly reduced the FY2008 funding era in Navy shipbuilding has turned
award later this year. Up for grabs are request for LCS programme; amended the into a case study of how not to build a
deals to build three more LCS, one from LCS ‘sea frame’ unit procurement cost cap; combat ship,’ noting that the programme’s
the 2008 Department of Defense budget, required the US Navy to use fi xed-price tribulations only serve to highlight the
and two out of the 2009 request currently contracts for the construction of ships ‘profound shortcomings’ in the Pentagon’s
being considered by Congress. Each procured in FY2008 and subsequent acquisitions system.
company is already building one LCS; years; heavily criticized the execution ‘Even as spending on new projects has
Lockheed Martin hopes to deliver its ship, of the LCS programme as a whole; risen to its highest point since the Reagan
Freedom, this autumn; General Dynamics expressed ‘concerns’ for the programme years, being over budget and behind
hopes to deliver its vessel, Independence, as a whole; and yet expressed support schedule have become the norm,’ said
by the end of this year, but there are doubts for continuing with the programme in the New York Times, noting that a recent
about either dates being kept. restructured form. Government Accountability Offi ce audit
The LCS programme has, of course, In spite of the problems with the found that 95 projects, ranging from
been beset by massive problems for programme, the US Navy has stated warships to helicopters and satellites, were
some time, problems that led the US repeatedly that it remains committed to delayed 21 months on average and cost 26
Navy to substantially restructure the a 55 ship LCS programme, and none of per cent more than initially projected, a
programme in 2007, mainly in response the congressional oversight committees bill of US$295 billion.
to significant cost growth and schedule looking into LCS have so far recommended The report said: ‘The project was
delays. Now, the US Navy’s proposed terminating LCS, or reducing the planned hobbled from the outset by the Navy’s zeal
FY2009 budget requests US$920 55 ship total acquisition programme. to build the ships as fast and inexpensively
million in procurement funding for the The issue for Congress for FY2009 is, as possible and the contractors’ desire
procurement of two LCS vessels, which therefore, whether to approve, reject, or - driven by competitive pressures - to
would be the fourth and fifth ships in modify the restructured LCS programme, stay on schedule, even as designs proved
the restructured programme. bearing in mind the fact that decisions that impractical and construction problems
Congress originally funded a total of six Congress makes on this issue could aff ect multiplied. In their haste to get the ships
LCS ‘sea frames,’ in the FY2005, FY2006, future US Navy capabilities and funding into the water, the US Navy and contractors
and FY2007 defence budgets, but in 2007, requirements, and the shipbuilding re-designed and built them at the same
as Congress was considering the proposed industrial base. time,’ even though, as Vice Admiral Paul
FY2008 budget, the US Navy canceled Much has been said and much written E Sullivan, who supervises shipbuilding in
LCS vessels 3-6, leaving only Freedom and about the LCS programme already, not the US Navy said later: ‘It’s not good to be
Independence under construction. least by Representative Gene Taylor (D. building as you’re designing,’ WT
Warship Technology July/August 2008 5
WWTJul-Aug08_p5.indd 5TJul-Aug08_p5.indd 5 77/22/08 6:56:28 PM/22/08 6:56:28 PM
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