A proposed $22 billion-per-year shipbuilding plan involving the use of more common hulls, a lower Littoral Combat Ship build rate and other cost-cutting measures would achieve big savings but is likely untenable in the current economic climate, an independent naval analyst said today. The plan's price tag could be trimmed to as low as $18 billion annually, the analyst added, but taking the number any lower would force the Navy to make "Draconian" choices as it builds its fleet. "Eighteen...
