Wednesday, September 16, 2009

LCS: More Cowbell!!!!

I'm going to let ya'll fight this out over at USNIBlog.
The Navy announced today it will down select between the two Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) designs in fiscal 2010. The current LCS seaframe construction solicitation will be cancelled and a new solicitation will be issued. At down select, a single prime contractor and shipyard will be awarded a fixed price incentive contract for up to 10 ships with two ships in fiscal 2010 and options through fiscal 2014. This decision was reached after careful review of the fiscal 2010 industry bids, consideration of total program costs, and ongoing discussions with Congress.

"This change to increase competition is required so we can build the LCS at an affordable price," said Ray Mabus, secretary of the Navy. "LCS is vital to our Navy's future. It must succeed."

"Both ships meet our operational requirements and we need LCS now to meet the warfighters' needs," said Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations. "Down selecting now will improve affordability and will allow us to build LCS at a realistic cost and not compromise critical warfighting capabilities."
Sir(s), that is just nasty, nasty spin. I am embarassed for 'ya. I feel all dirty and unclean just reading it. (NB: from strictly an economic and industrial engineering perspective though, the CNO is correct. Thing is, we aren't building concrete block.)

I need to go see the Doctor, as my neck in killing me. This program takes so many turns and twist as it flails around trying to explain itself I think my neck has been thrown out of whack.

This makes me laugh about the same as the though of Senator Sestak (D-PA).

Speaking for CDRSalamander though; we-told-you-so.

Oh, as for which one I wold pick? You might as well ask me which of the two teams playing do I think will win the World Series. H3ll if I know - there isn't enough data to tell you ... heck, we don't even know what the teams are.

This program is what it is. I won't go through it again. I need to grab the Lava bar and take a long, hot shower with a toilet bowl scrubber.

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