Re: Littoral Combat Ships (LCS); Which is best?
Rather old news here, but just to keep this thread somewhat up to date.
This could be an early end to the two way competition between LCS designs. The USN wants the next two vessels (FY10) to be provided by a single company / shipyard. And up to eight further through FY14. The reason is said to be an easier aquisition process. But I doubt that after five years and ten ships, the navy will reopen competition again. Unless the selected design develops a severe long term fault. Or the just buy the first half of the 55 LCS right now to lower costs, and then decide if the second half will be of the same or a different design.
LCS Solicitation Canceled, To Be Reissued
Sep 18, 2009 By Bettina H. Chavanne
The U.S. Navy announced late Sept. 16 that it has canceled the solicitation for three Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) for fiscal 2010 “due to affordability,” and will instead issue a new solicitation, leading to a downselect to a single design.
“The Navy remains committed to a 55-LCS program,” assistant Secretary of the Navy Sean Stackley stressed to Pentagon reporters late in the day. “The Navy had no reasonable basis to believe the LCS program would be executable under the current acquisition strategy.” A new request for proposals (RFP) will be released this fall, and will provide for a downselect — which Stackley said will probably occur in spring 2010 — to a single prime contractor and shipyard. The fixed-price contract is for up to 10 ships, with two ships in FY ’10 and options through FY ’14.
A little less straightforward is the second piece of the new solicitation. In FY ’12, a second competition for a second source (i.e., shipyard) will be opened. The second shipyard will build the FY ’10 winner’s design, with one ship in FY ’12 and options for four more through FY ’14. In FY ’15, the two shipyards will continue to compete for future construction.
“If I’m making it complicated, that’s because it is,” Stackley said when reporters pressed him. “Today’s prime has a choice. It can be the system provider or align himself as a shipbuilder. The prime will not be a [combat systems] provider and the shipbuilder in future competitions.”
Stackley claimed the new strategy increases “competitive pressure at the prime and subcontractor levels.” The final plan was briefed to Congress Sept. 17, and industry was being told of the decision concurrently. Lockheed Martin issued a statement late Sept. 16: “We believe the U.S. Navy’s approach will make it possible to further enhance the affordability of this important new class of ship, and we fully support the initiative.”
As for the program, delivery of the second LCS, along with construction of the third and fourth ships, will not be affected by the new solicitation.
Vice Adm. Barry McCullough, deputy chief of naval operations for integration, said the two ships from competitors General Dynamics and Lockheed are “viable hull forms” that already meet requirements. With two ships already built, the Navy had the luxury of performing limited operational assessments on the two designs.
