Defense Acquisitions: Realistic Business Cases Needed to Execute Navy Shipbuilding Programs

Abstract

The Navy is beset with long-standing problems that affect its ability to accomplish ambitious goals for its shipbuilding portfolio. Significant cost growth and long schedule delays are persistent problems. Making headway on these problems is essential in light of the serious budget pressures facing the nation. This testimony focuses on the following: (1) cost growth in shipbuilding; (2) acquisition approaches in the LPD 17, Littoral Combat Ship, DDG 1000, and CVN 78 programs; and (3) steps the Navy can take to improve its acquisition decision making, particularly the adoption of a knowledge-based framework. While GAO is making no new recommendations in this testimony, GAO has made numerous recommendations through the years to improve business cases for Navy acquisitions as well as other Department of Defense weapon acquisitions. The Department's acquisition policies largely incorporate these recommendations, but they have not been implemented on actual programs.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 24, 2007
Accession Number
ADA472274

Entities

People

  • Paul L. Francis

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Aircraft Carriers
  • Commerce
  • Contracts
  • Department Of Defense
  • Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch Systems
  • Flight Decks
  • Governments
  • Littoral Combat Ships
  • Military Acquisition
  • Naval Warfare
  • Navy
  • Radar
  • Shipbuilding
  • United States Government
  • Uss George H.W. Bush
  • Uss Gerald R. Ford

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.