Defense Acquisitions: Plans Need to Allow Enough Time to Demonstrate Capability of First Littoral Combat Ships
GAO-05-255
Published: Mar 01, 2005. Publicly Released: Mar 01, 2005.
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Highlights
To conduct operations in littorals--shallow coastal waters--the Navy plans to build a new class of surface warship: the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). LCS is being designed to accomplish its missions through systems operating at a distance from the ship, such as helicopters and unmanned vehicles, and that will be contained in interchangeable mission packages. The Navy is using an accelerated approach to buy the LCS, building the ships in "flights." Flight 0, consisting of four ships, will provide limited capability and test the LCS concept. The schedule allows 12 months between the delivery of the first Flight 0 ship and the start of detailed design and construction for Flight 1 ships. Estimated procurement cost of the Flight 0 ships is $1.5 billion. The Congress directed GAO to review the LCS program. This report assesses the analytical basis of LCS requirements; the Navy's progress in defining the concept of operations; the technical maturity of the mission packages; and the basis of recurring costs for LCS.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | To determine whether surface threats larger than small boats do pose risks to the LCS when operating independently and to mitigate any risks the Navy subsequently identifies, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Navy to conduct an analysis of the effect of a surface threat larger than small boats on LCS operations and the impact on other naval forces in support of those operations. |
Closed – Implemented
In their original response to GAO's recommendations, the Navy stated that analysis was underway on some of the issues that GAO presented, including torpedo defense, and that analysis on risks posed to LCS by surface vessels larger than small boats would be conducted for the next flight of ships. By December 2005, the Navy reported that an initial analysis of surface warfare capabilities had been completed and that the capabilities currently on the LCS could provide defense against surface threats. Further analysis for spiral development options towards additional offensive capabilities is planned. The program also plans to leverage Navy-wide analysis performed on torpedo defense. The DODIG considers this recommendation to be closed on the basis of analysis already complete.
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| Department of Defense | To address challenges associated with integrating the MH-60 helicopter into LCS operations, the Secretary of Defense should direct that the Navy include in its ongoing evaluation of helicopter integration with LCS (1) evaluation of the numbers and budget impact of helicopters required to support future LCS ships and (2) examination of how to address manning, technology, and logistical challenges of operating the helicopters from LCS. |
Closed – Implemented
The Navy has (1) reviewed helicopter force structure requirements in light of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program and (2) assessed the impacts and mitigation needs associated with manning, technology, and logistics challenges for helicopter detachments. In January 2006 the Commander, Naval Air Forces was briefed on a set of concept of operations for helicopters and the LCS. As a result of these concepts of operations the helicopter force structure is being revised to reflect the additional units needed for LCS. The Navy is also working to address a deficiency in LCS manning for helicopter detachments discovered during their assessment.
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| Department of Defense | To allow the Navy to take full advantage of the technical and operational maturation of the Flight 0 ships before committing to the much larger purchases of follow-on ships, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Navy to revise its acquisition strategy to ensure that it has sufficiently experimented with both Flight 0 ship designs, captured lessons learned from Flight 0 operations with more than one of the mission packages, and mitigated operational and technology risks before selection of the design for an award of a detailed design and construction contract for Flight 1 is authorized. |
Closed – Implemented
In an April 2006 report to Congress, the Navy announced a plan to revise the acquisition strategy of LCS by extending the number of Flight 0 ships procured to 15 and delaying the procurement of a new flight of ships. The Navy will require OSD concurrence with this plan prior to acquiring the fifth Flight 0 ship. As part of their rational for continuing Flight 0 procurement the Navy cited the importance of "increasingly mature technologies and lessons learned" in enhancements to "subsequent LCS Class ship designs." Results of the construction, testing, and operational performance of Flight 0 ships will be taken into consideration for future procurement of LCS.
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Contract costsMilitary operationsMilitary vesselsNaval procurementOperational testingRisk managementSchedule slippagesShipsAntisubmarine warfareDefense capabilitiesMilitary aircraftHelicoptersProcurement planning