Geurts to Congress: Quotes, analysis about aircraft carrier block coming soon

The Navy anticipates it will deliver to Congress a report about potential savings for a block buy of CVN-80 and CVN-81 in four to six weeks, according to the Navy's top acquisition official.

Navy acquisition executive Hondo Geurts testified to Congress today the Navy has issued a request for quotes to Newport News Shipbuilding for a potential two-ship buy of the future aircraft carriers. He told the House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee that the Navy would deliver the shipyard's quotes and the service's analysis early this summer.

Geurts added the cost savings would be different from when the Navy did a similar block buy for Nimitz-class ships.

"We've already started construction of CVN-80 so the savings are a little bit dependent on exactly when should we go into such an agreement," he said. "But I believe there are substantial savings available."

Geurts told Inside Defense the government-furnished equipment for the carriers amounts to one-third the total cost and the Navy is working to reduce that.

Geurts testified before the subcommittee alongside Vice Adm. William Merz, deputy chief of naval operations for warfare systems, and Naval Sea Systems Command chief Vice Adm. Thomas Moore about delivering a 355-ship fleet.