Buy LCS or DDX?
The Navy is currently in a conundrum over what size fleet it needs, and which enemy, China or the terrorists, is an eminent threat. From National Defense Mag:
If the QDR places greater focus on China, then plans for building the new destroyer, the DD(X), may become really important, said Work. But if the war on terror takes precedence, then the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), may well receive more attention.
The DD(X) already has been at the center of much debate because of its high cost. Estimates range from $2 billion to more than $3 billion per ship.
And here is a worthy solution:
A possible solution, O’Rourke(a naval analyst for the Congressional Research Service) said, is to look at a reduced cost alternative to the current ship design. He said the Navy ought to consider building a ship around the most critically desired capabilities while cutting costs by 25 to 35 percent.
...The Navy should consider buying more LCS ships with the money it would save from cutting DD(X), said Work.
“The LCS looks better for what we’re doing right now, so why not build LCS first and hold off on DD(X) until the threat for these bigger ships is more clearly defined,” he said.
The cost of building the hull of LCS is projected at $220 million.