Analysts Criticize Navy Plan
| Calling the Navy's future expansion plans unworkable, the critics take aim: At the Surface Navy Association's annual conference last week in Arlington, VA, Labs said the new 313-ship plan �raises questions about whether it is affordable, and thus whether it is executable.� During a panel discussion Jan. 12, Inside the Navy asked a group of officials -- including Vice Adm. Paul E. Sullivan, head of Naval Sea Systems Command, and Rear Adm. Charles Hamilton, program executive officer for ships -- whether it is realistic to assume the shipbuilding budget will rise to roughly $15 billion annually in the coming years. �I would say yes, I think it was very realistic,� replied another member of the panel, Capt. Rob Taylor, deputy of surface ships on the Navy staff. But new Navy Chief Admiral Mike Mullen claimed his paln is on track: In his speech Jan. 10, Mullen said he would not let the fleet shrink below 281 ships. He did not discuss the shipbuilding plan in detail. But he stressed the importance of fencing funds for shipbuilding in the Navy's internal budget process... Mullen noted the cost of the first DD(X) was recently reduced by $300 million. This was done in concert with a Defense Acquisition Board review of the program late last year, Hamilton told ITN . I also say it could work, just leave out the big ships and keep building those new and inexpensive Littoral Combat Ships. Fat chance I know! |
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