Post by ferryfast admin on Jul 11, 2011 11:14:33 GMT -5
Congressman asks for LCS program review, possible rebidding
Published: Thursday, July 07, 2011, 11:39 AM
Updated: Thursday, July 07, 2011, 12:34 PM
Dan Murtaugh, Press-Register
blog.al.com/press-register-business/2011/07/congressman_asks_for_lcs_progr.html
MOBILE, Ala. -- U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., asked U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus to conduct a review of the littoral combat ship program and possibly rebid the contracts, including a $3.6 billion deal for Mobile-based Austal USA.
Hunter represents an area near San Diego, which is home to General Dynamics' NASSCO, one of the six largest shipyards in America. If the LCS contract were to be rebid, NASSCO would likely be a contender for the work.
"Throughout the history of this program, the Navy has been over cost and has failed to meet its own deadlines," Hunter said in a July 1 letter. "I strongly urge the Navy to immediately conduct a formal review of the entire LCS program, provide an assessment of the technical design flaws of the current fleet and determine the best way forward to include the possibility of rebidding this contract so that the program can be put back on a fiscally responsible path to procurement."
Austal officials declined to comment.
The Navy signed contracts in December with two shipbuilders to construct 10 LCS each. Lockheed Martin is building its version of the speedy warship in Wisconsin, while Austal's construction is taking place at the company's Mobile River shipyard.
The LCS contract is fueling Austal's growth from about 2,100 workers -- already Mobile's largest industrial employer -- to about 4,000.
The LCS program has been troubled since the get-go.
Littoral combat ships were envisioned as a less-expensive alternative to heavier combat craft, but the program has been riddled with cost overruns and procurement changes since its inception in 2001.
The Navy originally estimated a price tag of about $220 million per LCS, but costs for the first ships from each of the two vendors that won the Navy's competition were more than triple that amount.
Two LCS, built by different shipyards with radically different designs, have been delivered to the Navy, and both have suffered structural problems this year.
Lockheed's ship, U.S.S. Freedom, suffered a crack in its hull earlier this year. And the Navy recently identified what it termed as "aggressive corrosion" on U.S.S. Independence, built at Austal's shipyard.
Independence and a second LCS, Coronado, are being built at Austal, but the Mobile company is just a subcontractor for prime builder General Dynamics. Austal is the prime contractor on the 10-ship contract it signed in December.
Related topics: Austal, Duncan Hunter, Littoral Combat Ship, Lockheed Martin, U.S. Navy
Published: Thursday, July 07, 2011, 11:39 AM
Updated: Thursday, July 07, 2011, 12:34 PM
Dan Murtaugh, Press-Register
blog.al.com/press-register-business/2011/07/congressman_asks_for_lcs_progr.html
MOBILE, Ala. -- U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., asked U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus to conduct a review of the littoral combat ship program and possibly rebid the contracts, including a $3.6 billion deal for Mobile-based Austal USA.
Hunter represents an area near San Diego, which is home to General Dynamics' NASSCO, one of the six largest shipyards in America. If the LCS contract were to be rebid, NASSCO would likely be a contender for the work.
"Throughout the history of this program, the Navy has been over cost and has failed to meet its own deadlines," Hunter said in a July 1 letter. "I strongly urge the Navy to immediately conduct a formal review of the entire LCS program, provide an assessment of the technical design flaws of the current fleet and determine the best way forward to include the possibility of rebidding this contract so that the program can be put back on a fiscally responsible path to procurement."
Austal officials declined to comment.
The Navy signed contracts in December with two shipbuilders to construct 10 LCS each. Lockheed Martin is building its version of the speedy warship in Wisconsin, while Austal's construction is taking place at the company's Mobile River shipyard.
The LCS contract is fueling Austal's growth from about 2,100 workers -- already Mobile's largest industrial employer -- to about 4,000.
The LCS program has been troubled since the get-go.
Littoral combat ships were envisioned as a less-expensive alternative to heavier combat craft, but the program has been riddled with cost overruns and procurement changes since its inception in 2001.
The Navy originally estimated a price tag of about $220 million per LCS, but costs for the first ships from each of the two vendors that won the Navy's competition were more than triple that amount.
Two LCS, built by different shipyards with radically different designs, have been delivered to the Navy, and both have suffered structural problems this year.
Lockheed's ship, U.S.S. Freedom, suffered a crack in its hull earlier this year. And the Navy recently identified what it termed as "aggressive corrosion" on U.S.S. Independence, built at Austal's shipyard.
Independence and a second LCS, Coronado, are being built at Austal, but the Mobile company is just a subcontractor for prime builder General Dynamics. Austal is the prime contractor on the 10-ship contract it signed in December.
Related topics: Austal, Duncan Hunter, Littoral Combat Ship, Lockheed Martin, U.S. Navy