Navy Shipbuilding: Significant Investments in the Littoral Combat Ship Continue Amid Substantial Unknowns about Capabilities, Use, and Cost

Abstract

The Navy s LCS consists of the ship called a seaframe and mission packages, which provide combat capability. LCS is intended to be reconfigurable to perform three primary missions: surface warfare; mine countermeasures; and anti-submarine warfare. The Navy currently plans to buy 52 seaframes, including two variants being constructed at two U.S. shipyards, and 64 mission packages. The total estimated acquisition cost is about $40 billion in 2010 dollars. GAO was asked to assess the status of the LCS program. This report examines (1) the progress and challenges associated with seaframe and mission module production, development, and testing; and (2) the soundness of the Navy s business case for the integrated LCS program. GAO analyzed Navy and contractor documents, toured shipyards and LCS ships, and interviewed DOD and Navy officials and contractor representatives.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2013
Accession Number
ADA581681

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boats
  • Business Administration
  • Congress
  • Control Systems
  • Employment
  • Littoral Combat Ships
  • Logistics
  • Marine Transportation
  • Military Organizations
  • Naval Operations
  • Naval Warfare
  • Navy
  • Shipbuilding
  • Submarine Warfare
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Turbines
  • United States Government

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.
  • Naval Mine Countermeasure Systems Development.