Navy budget asks for 4 fewer ships than planned

[unhappycamper]

Navy budget asks for 4 fewer ships than planned
By Zachary M. Peterson - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Feb 5, 2008 6:01:43 EST

The Navy plans to purchase seven ships in fiscal 2009 — four fewer than originally intended due to “technical problems” with the Littoral Combat Ship program, Pentagon budget officials announced Monday.

The service plans to spend $14.1 billion of its $149.3 billion topline budget request for fiscal 2009, which begins Oct. 1, on new vessels.

Vice Adm. Stephen Stanley, director of force structure, resources and assessment on the Joint Staff, told reporters in a briefing at the Pentagon that LCS is “an example of a program we weren’t able to get as far as we wanted to” in terms of procurement for fiscal 2009.

Due to “technology that wasn’t ready,” Stanley explained that it would not be “prudent to request six ships.” Right now, two LCS sea frames are under construction, one by Lockheed Martin and another by General Dynamics. Both hulls are different designs and both have been plagued by cost growth and design difficulties.

Rear Adm. Stan Bozin, director of the Navy’s budget office, said that the Navy’s way ahead with LCS will be determined by the results of sea trials this summer.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/navy_budgetrequest_080204w/