Download or read book Navy Littoral Combat Ship Lcs Frigate Program written by Congressional Research Service and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2015-02-09 with total page 42 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)/Frigate program is a program to procure 52 LCSs and frigates. The first LCS was funded in FY2005, and a total of 23 have been funded through FY2015. The Navy's proposed FY2016 budget requests $1,437.0 million for the procurement of three more LCSs, or an average of $479.0 million each. From 2001 to 2014, the program was known simply as the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program, and all 52 planned ships were referred to as LCSs. In 2014, at the direction of Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, the program was restructured. As a result of the restructuring, the Navy now wants to build the final 20 ships in the program (ships 33 through 52) to a revised version of the baseline LCS design. The Navy intends to refer to these 20 ships, which the Navy wants to procure in FY2019 and subsequent fiscal years, as frigates rather than LCSs. The Navy has indicated that it may also want to build ships 25 through 32 with at least some of the design changes now intended for the final 20 ships. The Navy wants to procure ships 25 through 32 in FY2016-FY2018. Two very different baseline LCS designs are being built. One was developed by an industry team led by Lockheed; the other was developed by an industry team that was led by General Dynamics. The Lockheed design is built at the Marinette Marine shipyard at Marinette, WI; the General Dynamics design is built at the Austal USA shipyard at Mobile, AL. Ships 5 through 24 in the program are being procured under a pair of 10-ship block buy contracts that were awarded to the two LCS builders in December 2010. The 24th LCS—the first of the three LCSs expected to be requested for procurement in FY2016—is the final ship to be procured under these block buy contracts. The LCS program has been controversial due to past cost growth, design and construction issues with the lead ships built to each design, concerns over the ships' survivability (i.e., ability to withstand battle damage), concerns over whether the ships are sufficiently armed and would be able to perform their stated missions effectively, and concerns over the development and testing of the ships' modular mission packages. The Navy's execution of the program has been a matter of congressional oversight attention for several years. The program's restructuring in 2014 raises additional oversight issues for Congress.

Download or read book Navy Littoral Combat Ship LCS Program written by Ronald O'Rourke and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2011-05 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The LCS is a relatively inexpensive Navy surface combatant equipped with modular ¿plug-and-fight¿ mission packages. The basic version of the LCS, without any mission packages, is referred to as the LCS sea frame. The Navy wants to field a force of 55 LCSs. Contents of this report: (1) Intro.; (2) Background: The LCS in General; Two Industry Teams, Each with Its Own Design; Planned Procurement Quantities; (3) Issues for Congress: New Acquisition Strategy Announced in 9/09; Unit Procurement Cost Cap; Total Program Acquisition Cost; (4) Legislative Activity for FY 2011. Appendices: Cost Growth on LCS Sea Frames; LCS Acquisition Strategy Announced in 9/09. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand publication.

Download or read book Navy Littoral Combat Ship Lcs frigate Program written by Ronald O'Rourke and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2016-10-19 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Congressional Research Service Report RL33741, completed in October 2016, provides an up to date and thorough overview of the Littoral Combat Ship and LCS Frigate acquisition program. Technical, political and strategic aspects are discussed. The Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)/Frigate program is a program to procure a large number of LCSs and modified LCSs. The modified LCSs are to be referred to as frigates. The LCS program has been controversial over the years due to past cost growth, design and construction issues with the lead ships built to each design (including, most recently, multiple problems with the ships' propulsion systems), concerns over the ships' survivability (i.e., ability to withstand battle damage), concerns over whether the ships are sufficiently armed and would be able to perform their stated missions effectively, and concerns over the development and testing of the ships' modular mission packages. The Navy's execution of the program has been a matter of congressional oversight attention for several years. Prior to December 14, 2015, Navy plans called for procuring a total of 32 LCSs and 20 frigates, for a total of 52 ships. A December 14, 2015, memorandum from Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus directed the Navy to reduce the LCS/Frigate program to a total of 40 ships. The memorandum also directed the Navy to reduce planned annual procurement quantities of LCSs during the Navy's FY2017-FY2021 five-year shipbuilding plan, and to neck down to a single design variant of the ships not later than FY2019. Under current plans, the Navy envisages procuring a total of either 28 LCSs and 12 frigates (if the neck down occurs in FY2018), or 30 LCSs and 10 frigates (if the neck down occurs in FY2019). This report also discusses factors which might reduce or expand those procurement plans.

Download or read book Navy Littoral Combat Ship Lcs Program written by Ronald O'Rourke and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2015-01-03 with total page 106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A total of 20 Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs) have been funded through FY2014. The Navy had been planning to procure an eventual total of 52 LCSs, but on February 24, 2014, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced that "no new contract negotiations beyond 32 ships will go forward" and that the Navy is to submit "alternative proposals to procure a capable and lethal small surface combatant, generally consistent with the capabilities of a frigate. I've directed the Navy to consider a completely new design, existing ship designs, and a modified LCS."

Download or read book Navy Littoral Combat Ship Frigate Lcs Ffgx Program written by Congressional Research Service and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-09-18 with total page 54 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Navy's Littoral Combat Ship/Frigate (LCS/FFG(X)) program is a program to procure a total of 40, and possibly as many as 52, small surface combatants (SSCs), meaning LCSs and frigates. A total of 29 LCSs have been procured through FY2017. For FY2018, the Navy is requesting the procurement of two more LCSs, which would be the 30th and 31st. The Navy's proposed FY2018 budget, which was submitted on May 23, 2017, originally showed a request for one LCS at an estimated cost of $636.1 million. On May 24, 2017, the Navy announced that it was amending its proposed FY2018 budget to request the procurement of two LCSs rather than one. As amended, the Navy's proposed FY2018 budget requests two LCSs at a total cost of $1,136.1 million, or an average of about $568.1 million each. Two very different LCS designs are currently being built. One was developed by an industry team led by Lockheed; the other was developed by an industry team that was led by General Dynamics. The design developed by the Lockheed-led team is built at the Marinette Marine shipyard at Marinette, WI, with Lockheed as the prime contractor; the design developed by the team that was led by General Dynamics is built at the Austal USA shipyard at Mobile, AL, with Austal USA as the prime contractor. The LCS/FFG(X) program has been controversial over the years due to past cost growth, design and construction issues with the first LCSs, concerns over the survivability of LCSs (i.e., their ability to withstand battle damage), concerns over whether LCSs are sufficiently armed and would be able to perform their stated missions effectively, and concerns over the development and testing of the modular mission packages for LCSs. The Navy's execution of the program has been a matter of congressional oversight attention for several years. The LCS/FFG(X) program now appears to be in flux in certain key respects, including the following: Total program quantity. Although the program was limited by a December 2015 restructuring to a total of 40 ships, the Navy has a requirement for 52 SSCs, raising a possibility that the current reassessment of the program might lead to a decision by the Department of Defense to expand the total size of the program to something more than 40 ships, and possibly to as many as 52. It is also possible that the program might be reduced to something less than 40 ships. Annual procurement rate. It is possible the program's annual procurement rate could be increased from the one or two ships per year shown in the FY2017 budget submission to a rate of about three ships per year-a rate similar to those in budget submissions for years prior to FY2017-particularly if the program's total procurement quantity is increased to something more than 40. The down select. If the program's annual procurement rate is increased to something like three ships per year, it might prompt a reconsideration of whether to conduct a currently planned down select to a single LCS design. Design and builder or builders of the FFG(X)s. The design of the new frigates, and the shipyard or shipyards that will build them, are uncertain. Navy officials have stated that the Navy is reassessing what capabilities its wants to have in the new frigates, and is examining potential frigate designs based on both LCS hull forms and other frigate-seized hull forms.

Download or read book Navy Littoral Combat Ship LCS Program written by and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 47 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Navy is procuring a new type of surface combatant called the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). The Navy substantially restructured the LCS program in 2007 in response to significant cost growth and schedule delays in the program. The Navy's proposed FY2009 budget requests $920 million in procurement funding for the procurement of two LCSs, which would be the fourth and fifth ships in the restructured LCS program. The LCS is a small, fast, relatively inexpensive combat ship that is to be equipped with modular "plug-and-fight" mission packages, including unmanned vehicles (UVs). The basic version of the LCS, without any mission packages, is referred to as the LCS sea frame. The Navy wants to procure a total of 55 LCSs. Congress originally funded a total of six LCS sea frames (LCSs 1 through 6) in the FY2005, FY2006, and FY2007 defense budgets. In 2007, as Congress was considering the proposed FY2008 defense budget, the Navy canceled LCSs 3 though 6 as part of its restructuring of the program, leaving only LCSs 1 and 2 under construction. As part of its final action on the FY2008 defense budget, Congress did the following: accepted the Navy's cancellation of LCSs 3 through 6; funded the procurement one additional LCS in FY2008 (LCS-5); significantly reduced the Navy's FY2008 funding request for the LCS program; amended the LCS sea frame unit procurement cost cap; required the Navy to use fixed-price-type contracts for the construction of LCSs procured in FY2008 and subsequent years; criticized the execution of the LCS program; expressed concerns for the program; and expressed support for continuing with the program in restructured form. The issue for Congress for FY2009 is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's restructured LCS program. The LCS program raises potential oversight issues for Congress relating to cost growth, total program acquisition cost, procurement cost cap, technical risk, and operational evaluation and competition for production.

Download or read book Navy Littoral Combat Ship LCS Program written by Ronald O'Rourke and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 54 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Navy is procuring a new type of surface combatant called the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). The LCS is a small, fast, relatively inexpensive combat ship that is to be equipped with modular "plug-and-fight" mission packages. The basic version of the LCS, without any mission packages, is referred to the LCS sea frame. The Navy wants to procure a total of 55 LCSs.

Download or read book Navy Littoral Combat Ship LCS Program Background Oversight Issues and Options for Congress written by and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 42 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a small, fast ship that uses modular plug-and-fight mission packages, including unmanned vehicles (UVs). The basic version of the LCS, without any mission packages, is referred to as the LCS sea frame. The first LCS was procured in FY2005, another three were procured in FY2006, and two more were procured in FY2007. The Navy's proposed FY2008 budget, submitted to Congress in February 2007, requested $910.5 million in procurement funding for three more LCSs. Navy plans call for procuring a total of 55 LCSs. In response to significant cost growth in the building of the first LCSs, the Navy in March 2007 announced a proposed plan for restructuring the LCS program. On April 12, 2007, the Navy announced that the Navy and Lockheed could not reach an agreement on a restructured contract for LCS-1 and LCS-3 and that the Navy consequently was terminating construction of LCS-3. On May 10, 2007, it was reported that the Navy would ask Congress to increase the procurement cost cap for the fifth and sixth LCSs to $460 million each in FY2008 dollars. A primary issue for Congress at this point is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's proposed restructuring plan, and what additional actions, if any, should be taken in response to the Navy's decision to terminate construction of LCS-3. Congress has several potential options regarding the LCS program. This report will be updated as events warrant.

Download or read book Navy Littoral Combat Ship Lcs Program written by Congressional Research Congressional Research Service and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2014-12-24 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Navy had been planning to procure an eventual total of 52 LCSs, but on February 24, 2014, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced that "no new contract negotiations beyond 32 ships will go forward" and that the Navy is to submit "alternative proposals to procure a capable and lethal small surface combatant, generally consistent with the capabilities of a frigate. I've directed the Navy to consider a completely new design, existing ship designs, and a modified LCS." Following Hagel's February 24, 2014, announcement, the Navy began an internal study of options for small surface combatants (SSCs) to be procured following the 32 LCSs. The Navy states that study was completed on July 31, 2014, as required. On December 10, 2014, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, after reviewing the Navy's work, approved a Navy plan to procure an SSC based on an upgraded version of the two LCS designs. The upgrade includes additional equipment for air defense, surface warfare, and antisubmarine warfare, plus some other changes. The Navy estimates that the changes will increase the cost of each LCS by $60 million to $75 million. The Navy states that it is now starting to develop an acquisition strategy for procuring the 20 modified LCSs. LCSs have been procured since FY2010 under a pair of 10-ship, fixed-price incentive (FPI) block buy contracts that the Navy awarded to the two LCS builders-Lockheed and Austal USA-on December 29, 2010. Under these contracts, which cover the years FY2010-FY2015, four LCSs (numbers 21 through 24) were to be requested for procurement in FY2015. The Navy's proposed FY2015 budget, however, requests funding for the procurement of three rather than four LCSs. Hagel's February 24 announcement and the Navy's request for three rather than four LCSs in FY2015 raise several potential oversight issues for Congress, including the Navy's plan for determining which of the two LCS builders would receive one LCS in FY2015 rather than two, and the analytical basis for the actions affecting the LCS program announced by Hagel on February 24. The LCS program has been controversial due to past cost growth, design and construction issues with the lead ships built to each design, concerns over the ships' survivability (i.e., ability to withstand battle damage), and concerns over whether the ships are sufficiently armed and would be able to perform their stated missions effectively. Prior to Secretary Hagel's February 24, 2014, announcement, some observers, citing one or more of these issues, had proposed truncating the LCS program. In response to criticisms of the LCS program, the Navy has acknowledged certain problems and stated that it was taking action to correct them, and disputed other arguments made against the program.

Download or read book Navy Frigate FFG X Program written by Ronald O'Rourke and published by . This book was released on 2019-10-21 with total page 46 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The FFG(X) program is a Navy program to build a class of 20 guided-missile frigates (FFGs). The Navy wants to procure the first FFG(X) in FY2020, the next 18 at a rate of two per year in FY2021-FY2029, and the 20th in FY2030. The Navy's proposed FY2020 budget requests $1,281.2 million for the procurement of the first FFG(X). The Navy's FY2020 budget submission shows that subsequent ships in the class are estimated by the Navy to cost roughly $900 million each in then-year dollars. The Navy intends to build the FFG(X) to a modified version of an existing ship design-an approach called the parent-design approach. The parent design could be a U.S. ship design or a foreign ship design. At least four industry teams are reportedly competing for the FFG(X) program. Two of the teams are reportedly proposing to build their FFG(X) designs at the two shipyards that have been building Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs) for the Navy-Austal USA of Mobile, AL, and Fincantieri/Marinette Marine (F/MM) of Marinette, WI. The other two teams are reportedly proposing to build their FFG(X) designs at General Dynamics/Bath Iron Works, of Bath, ME, and Huntington Ingalls Industries/Ingalls Shipbuilding of Pascagoula, MS. On June 20, 2019, the Navy released its Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Detail Design and Construction (DD&C) contract for up to 10 ships in FFG(X) program (the lead ship plus 9 option ships). Responses to the RFP are due by August 22, 2019. The Navy plans to award the contract in July 2020.

Download or read book Options for Combining the Navy s and the Coast Guard s Small Combatant Programs written by Eric Jackson Labs and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "As part of their long-term procurement strategies, the Navy and the Coast Guard are each in the process of developing and building two types of small combatants. The Navy is building two versions of its new littoral combat ship, and the Coast Guard is building replacements for its existing classes of high-endurance cutters and medium-endurance cutters. Although all four types of ship are about the same size, they are designed to perform different missions. If the Navy's and Coast Guard's plans for their small combatant programs are fully implemented, the two services combined will spend over $47 billion over the next 20 years purchasing 83 of those ships. In light of the many pressures on the budgets of the Navy and the Coast Guard, some policymakers and analysts have questioned whether the services could combine their small combatant programs in ways that still meet their requirements but save money. This Congressional Budget Office (CBO) paper, prepared at the request of the Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, examines three alternatives that might allow the Navy and the Coast Guard to consolidate their small combatant programs."--Preface.

Download or read book The Navy Littoral Combat Ship Program written by Elisabet A. Jenkins and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a relatively inexpensive Navy surface combatant equipped with modular 'plug and fight' mission packages. This book examines the LCS program and the potential oversight issues for Congress.

Download or read book Littoral Combat Ship and Frigate written by United States Government Accountability Office and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-09-22 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Navy envisioned a revolutionary approach for the LCS program: dual ship designs with interchangeable mission packages intended to provide mission flexibility at a lower cost. This approach has fallen short, with significant cost increases and reduced expectations about mission flexibility and performance. The Navy has changed acquisition approaches several times. The latest change involves minor upgrades to an LCS design-referred to now as a frigate. Yet, questions persist about both the LCS and the frigate. GAO has reported on the acquisition struggles facing LCS and now the frigate. This statement discusses: (1) the evolution of the LCS acquisition strategy and where it stands today; (2) key risks in the Navy's plans for the frigate based on the LCS program; and (3) remaining oversight opportunities for the LCS and frigate programs. This statement is largely based on GAO's prior reports and larger work on shipbuilding and acquisition best practices. It incorporates limited updated audit work where appropriate.

Download or read book Littoral Combat Ship and Frigate Delaying Planned Frigate Acquisition Would Enable Better informed Decisions written by United States. Government Accountability Office and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 29 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Navy envisioned a revolutionary approach for the LCS program: dual ship designs with interchangeable mission packages intended to provide mission flexibility. This approach has fallen short, with significant cost increases, schedule delays, and reduced capabilities--some of which have yet to be demonstrated. The LCS acquisition approach has changed several times. The latest change led to the frigate--a ship that involves minor modifications to an LCS design. This report examines the Navy's plans for the frigate acquisition as well as remaining opportunities for oversight. Congress should consider not enacting authority pursuant to the Navy's request for a block buy of 12 frigates in fiscal year 2018 and delaying funding of the lead frigate until at least fiscal year 2019, when more information is available on the ship's cost, design, and capabilities. GAO also recommends that DOD delay its procurement plans until sufficient knowledge is attained.

Download or read book Littoral Combat Ship and Frigate written by U.s. Government Accountability Office and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-07-12 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Navy envisioned a revolutionary approach for the LCS program: dual ship designs with interchangeable mission packages intended to provide mission flexibility. This approach has fallen short, with significant cost increases, schedule delays, and reduced capabilities—some of which have yet to be demonstrated. The LCS acquisition approach has changed several times. The latest change led to the frigate—a ship that involves minor modifications to an LCS design. This report examines the Navy’s plans for the frigate acquisition as well as remaining opportunities for oversight. Congress should consider not enacting authority pursuant to the Navy’s request for a block buy of 12 frigates in fiscal year 2018 and delaying funding of the lead frigate until at least fiscal year 2019, when more information is available on the ship’s cost, design, and capabilities. GAO also recommends that DOD delay its procurement plans until sufficient knowledge is attained.

Download or read book Transforming the Navy s Surface Combatant Force written by and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Littoral Combat Ship written by United States. Government Accountability Office and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In February 2014, the Secretary of Defense cited concerns with the combat capabilities of the LCS, a small surface combatant (SSC) consisting of a ship and reconfigurable mission packages built by two shipyards as different variants, with 26 LCS delivered or under contract. The Secretary directed an assessment of alternatives for a SSC. A Navy task force analyzed new and existing designs, including modified LCS concepts. The House report for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 included a provision for GAO to analyze the Navy’s study and the implications for future procurement. This report examines: (1) how the Navy arrived at its preferred solution, and (2) the potential risks associated with the Navy’s approach to acquiring the SSC and continued procurement of LCS, among other objectives. To conduct this work, GAO analyzed the task force study and other documentation, and interviewed task force, Navy, and Office of the Secretary of Defense officials. Congress should consider not funding any requested LCS in fiscal year 2017 and should consider requiring the Navy to revise its acquisition strategy for the frigate. GAO also recommends that the Department of Defense (DOD) align reviews to precede key acquisition decisions and enhance oversight by requiring the frigate program to develop key program documents and to report on the frigate separately in the SAR.