US NAVY
Muted Navy League show reflects concerns about key programmes
T
HE US naval defence industry seems to be holding its breath, if the US Navy
League's Sea Air Space (SAS) symposium is any indication. The past few months have seen a growing
concern about the escalating costs of both the US Navy's prime surface combatant programmes – the Zumwalt (DDG 1000) class destroyers and the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) as well as the Coast Guard's National Security Cutter (NSC) and Fast Response Cutter (FRC). There is also concern over the structure of
the Coast Guard designs, and on the week of the exposition there was a story raising doubts about the stability of the Zumwalts, and by implication the future cruiser programme CG (X). It was little wonder, therefore, that Navy
Secretary Dr Donald C Winter should castigate industry for allowing rising costs and for failing to invest in shipbuilding during a speech which stunned the associated conference. Dr Winter announced the US Navy would
now take greater control of programmes, although how he will implement this in the Administration's last 18 months remains to be seen. But it is a straw in the wind, for the Coast Guard has now taken control of the alternate FRC design, known as FRC-B, for which a request for proposals is anticipated in May. This will be worth some US$600 million
and will involve a dozen vessels which will replace the Island (WPB 1300) class cutters. Integrated Coast Guard Systems, the Lockheed Martin/Northrop Grumman consortium responsible for the US$24 billion Project Deepwater programme to revamp the Coast Guard, was philosophical about the move stating that, during the programme, an exchange of responsibilities was to be expected. At one point, the Coast Guard had handed them the responsibility for rescue helicopters and its decision on FRC-B was no major change in policy. The consortium also stated that reports of
concern about the structures of the NSC and FRC referred to earlier designs and had been addressed. Its contract is due for renewal in June and there are moves in Congress to force a new competition, due to alleged increases in costs which the consortium claim are due to modified requirements in the wake of 9/11. Dr Winter noted that following tours of
foreign shipyards he had concluded that the US shipbuilding industry lagged behind the world and, in many respects, the super power's ship fabrication does seem behind the times. Nowhere is this better shown than in contemporary plans for aircraft carriers in
The US Navy is ordering a single Virginia class submarine a year.
56 WARSHIP TECHNOLOGY MAY 2007
Ship construction processes used in the US seem outdated compared with those used in Europe.
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