Carribean Sea - Feb 2022: The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS 5), Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel HMJS Alexander Bustamante and a JDF Air Wing Bell 429 helicopter conduct a bilateral maritime exercise. (Navy photo by MCS 2nd Class Danielle Baker)
By: FEDweek StaffThe Navy has yet to show definitively that the littoral combat ship (LCS) can perform its mission as intended, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
The Navy is planning for a total of 35 Littoral Combat Ships, which are designed to operate in shallow waters close to shore. But in a report issued in late February, the nation’s top watchdog agency noted that the LCS program is beset by “several significant challenges.”
The LCS program is behind schedule, has not shown that the vessels can defend themselves if attacked, and is “experiencing failure rates of mission-essential equipment,” GAO stated. Development of the LCS’s modular configurations – a cornerstone of the program – is also lagging. The agency acknowledged that the Navy is aware of the issues and working to resolve them, but lacks a “comprehensive plan to address deficiencies.”
Until these issues are addressed, “The LCS will remain at risk of being unable to operate in its intended environment,” GAO stated. “Further, gaps between desired and demonstrated capabilities have substantial implications for the Navy’s ability to deploy the LCS as intended.”
The report also noted that the Navy’s operating and support cost estimates do not address the implications of the revised-maintenance approach – the plan by which sailors would be assigned and trained to perform tasks now carried out by contractors.
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