Navy admits new fleet has 'near-zero chance of completing 30-day mission'...
Dec 2, 2016 11:26:17 #
The Navy's Littoral Combat Ship program is behind schedule, hundreds of millions over budget, and incapable of conducting most of the basic missions it was intended to carry out. Senators on Thursday said they wanted to know why.
"Like so many major programs that preceded it, LCS's failure followed predictably from an inability to define and stabilize requirements, unrealistic initial cost estimates, and unreliable assessments of technical and integration risk, made worse by repeatedly buying ships and mission packages before proving they are effective and can be operated together," said Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., told Pentagon witnesses during a hearing.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was more blunt. "The process is completely broken. If you want this to stop, somebody needs to get fired."
The current fleet of eight ships "have a near-zero chance of completing a 30-day mission, the Navy's requirement, without a critical failure of one or more seaframe subsystems essential for wartime operations," Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon's Director of Operational Test And Evaluation.
"The miracle of the LCS didn't happen," said Paul Francis of the Government Accountability Office. "We are 26 ships into the contract and we still don't know if it can do its job."
Originally scheduled to begin service in 2008 at a cost of $220 million per ship, its cost has doubled to $478 million each. And although ships have been commissioned and deployed, they are yet to be equipped with the systems that would allow them to perform their primary missions, and won't be until 2020.
When the LCS was conceived in 2004, it was envisioned as a state-of-the-art combat vessel with a revolutionary flatted hull design that would allow a speedier, more lethal ship designed to operate in the littoral (close to shore) regions. It would contain plug-and-play mission modules to take out surface threats, hunt mines or go after enemy submarines.
But senators say the ships have a dismal record of reliability because of frequent mechanical breakdowns, and can't even defend itself.
While admitting substantial shortcomings in the performance of the ships, the Navy insisted it is on track to fix the problems.
"We are doggedly pursuing solutions that will improve operational availability of the ships and you have my assurance that these are never far from my mind," said Vice Adm. Thomas Rowden, head of Naval Surface Force Pacific.
Francis said that while Congress also failed to exercise proper oversight on the program while it was spinning out of control, it still has a chance to inject some discipline into the next phase of the program by not approving a "block buy" of future ships.
"You are going to be rushed again, you are going to be asked to put in upfront approval of something where the design isn't done, we don't have independent cost estimates, and the risks are not well understood," Francis said. "You'll be told 'it's a block buy, we're getting great prices, and the industrial base really needs this.'"
Francis recommended Congress not approve a block buy and instead demand that the Navy have a design competition in which it can downselect from two alternatives, and he further recommended hard questions be asked about whether continuing the program is worth the estimated $14 billion cost. Lockheed Martin and Austal USA are each building separate classes of the ship.
McCain admitted Congress was part of the problem. "We could have intervened more forcefully and demanded more from the Department of Defense and the Navy. We did not. But as long as I am chairman, this committee will."
The GAO also found that once the LCS program matured, too much emphasis was placed on supporting America's shipbuilding industry.
"Haven't we done enough for the industrial base? Isn't it time for the industrial base to come through for us? Can we get one ship delivered on time? Can we get one ship delivered with cost growth? Can we get one ship delivered without serious reliability and quality problems?"
Graham said the service secretaries and chiefs are responsible for knowing what's happening with the big programs under their control. "Hopefully in the future, someone will be held accountable and get fired, if this happens again, and if nobody ever get's fired, nothing's gonna change," Graham said.
"Like so many major programs that preceded it, LCS's failure followed predictably from an inability to define and stabilize requirements, unrealistic initial cost estimates, and unreliable assessments of technical and integration risk, made worse by repeatedly buying ships and mission packages before proving they are effective and can be operated together," said Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., told Pentagon witnesses during a hearing.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was more blunt. "The process is completely broken. If you want this to stop, somebody needs to get fired."
The current fleet of eight ships "have a near-zero chance of completing a 30-day mission, the Navy's requirement, without a critical failure of one or more seaframe subsystems essential for wartime operations," Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon's Director of Operational Test And Evaluation.
"The miracle of the LCS didn't happen," said Paul Francis of the Government Accountability Office. "We are 26 ships into the contract and we still don't know if it can do its job."
Originally scheduled to begin service in 2008 at a cost of $220 million per ship, its cost has doubled to $478 million each. And although ships have been commissioned and deployed, they are yet to be equipped with the systems that would allow them to perform their primary missions, and won't be until 2020.
When the LCS was conceived in 2004, it was envisioned as a state-of-the-art combat vessel with a revolutionary flatted hull design that would allow a speedier, more lethal ship designed to operate in the littoral (close to shore) regions. It would contain plug-and-play mission modules to take out surface threats, hunt mines or go after enemy submarines.
But senators say the ships have a dismal record of reliability because of frequent mechanical breakdowns, and can't even defend itself.
While admitting substantial shortcomings in the performance of the ships, the Navy insisted it is on track to fix the problems.
"We are doggedly pursuing solutions that will improve operational availability of the ships and you have my assurance that these are never far from my mind," said Vice Adm. Thomas Rowden, head of Naval Surface Force Pacific.
Francis said that while Congress also failed to exercise proper oversight on the program while it was spinning out of control, it still has a chance to inject some discipline into the next phase of the program by not approving a "block buy" of future ships.
"You are going to be rushed again, you are going to be asked to put in upfront approval of something where the design isn't done, we don't have independent cost estimates, and the risks are not well understood," Francis said. "You'll be told 'it's a block buy, we're getting great prices, and the industrial base really needs this.'"
Francis recommended Congress not approve a block buy and instead demand that the Navy have a design competition in which it can downselect from two alternatives, and he further recommended hard questions be asked about whether continuing the program is worth the estimated $14 billion cost. Lockheed Martin and Austal USA are each building separate classes of the ship.
McCain admitted Congress was part of the problem. "We could have intervened more forcefully and demanded more from the Department of Defense and the Navy. We did not. But as long as I am chairman, this committee will."
The GAO also found that once the LCS program matured, too much emphasis was placed on supporting America's shipbuilding industry.
"Haven't we done enough for the industrial base? Isn't it time for the industrial base to come through for us? Can we get one ship delivered on time? Can we get one ship delivered with cost growth? Can we get one ship delivered without serious reliability and quality problems?"
Graham said the service secretaries and chiefs are responsible for knowing what's happening with the big programs under their control. "Hopefully in the future, someone will be held accountable and get fired, if this happens again, and if nobody ever get's fired, nothing's gonna change," Graham said.
Dec 2, 2016 11:40:47 #
Ah Hell,Same old crap,how the hell,does a boat that was supposed to cost 220 MILLION dollars,go to 478 MILLION dollars???????? The admiral in charge of acquasition,will end up as a vice president of the winning company,IF,I went to buy a new Toyota Prius,and the window sticker said it cost $30,000 and when I went to pay for it,they told me it now costs $ 70,000 dollars,I would be OUT OF MY MIND,to buy that car,at that price.this is EXACTLY what the builders are doing . Heck,put the ENTIRE NAVY into 28 foot Boston Whalers,with 2 Honda oil injected engines,and 2 machine guns.would probably cost $70,000 per boat, put 4 men in each boat,would probably end up with about 66,000 whalers,with that many whalers,they could out fight,out run,any Navy in the world,for less than the cost of 1 LCS. WHO the hell dreams up this crap,that cant work for 30 days without breaking down?????????? time to fire everyone connected with this project,and start over, cost overruns my ass,let the builders eat the cost of the overruns..
Dec 2, 2016 11:53:21 #
no propaganda please
Loc: moon orbiting the third rock from the sun
boatbob2 wrote:
Ah Hell,Same old crap,how the hell,does a boat tha... (show quote)
It would appear that Obama has once again succeeded to destroy another part of the military, which has been his goal all along. Consider for instance the t*********r and homosexual nonsense along with banning all signs of Christianity in the armed forces. Destroy the morale of our fighting men and you have won.
As far as the Prius who would you pay more than $15,000 for it? The only use for that car is to make a good visual for Jeff Dunham and "Walter" his dummy.
Dec 2, 2016 13:05:40 #
lpnmajor
Loc: Arkansas
Rivers wrote:
The Navy's Littoral Combat Ship program is behind ... (show quote)
The purpose of military procurement is not to enhance their mission capabilities, it is to ensure a steady income stream for those involved. Who cares if it works? A program may be cancelled, but no monies will be returned, we eat the expense. Remember the "sergeant York" anti-aircraft battery? Chrysler was in financial straights, came up with this ridiculous concept for a radar guided gun, Congress bought it, it didn't work - but Chrysler recovered just fine.
Military projects are the worlds largest Ponzi scheme - the military and the taxpayers lose, but the politicians and the military industrial folk make out like bandits.
Dec 2, 2016 13:37:52 #
I have owned 3 Toyota Priuses,I love that 45 plus MPG,I live 12 miles from the nearest small town,and 38 miles from a large town, I sell them at between 140 and 160 thousand miles,Ive NEVER had 1 problem,with anyone of them,,,You can only buy a used prius for 15 thousand.....
Dec 3, 2016 07:54:34 #
no propaganda please
Loc: moon orbiting the third rock from the sun
boatbob2 wrote:
I have owned 3 Toyota Priuses,I love that 45 plus MPG,I live 12 miles from the nearest small town,and 38 miles from a large town, I sell them at between 140 and 160 thousand miles,Ive NEVER had 1 problem,with anyone of them,,,You can only buy a used prius for 15 thousand.....
Glad to hear that. We need a vehicle large enough to haul 2 Mastiffs a terrier and both of us, or enough food for us and the dogs for at least one month in case we are snowed in during the winter. And it has to be something SWMBO can drive as I can no longer drive due to back and leg problems.
Dec 3, 2016 09:55:58 #
lpnmajor wrote:
The purpose of military procurement is not to enhance their mission capabilities, it is to ensure a steady income stream for those involved.
More money! Double the budget and it just might work! Just keep throwing more and more money at it! All it needs is MORE MONEY!!
Dec 3, 2016 09:59:48 #
Im wondering IF,the people,who put the plans out ,to build these boats (LCS),have ANY IDEA how much money $478,000,000 really is. Thats about 125% cost overrun.same crap with that new fighter F22.
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