LCS Plan Lives

A continuing resolution authorizing a dual-block buy of Littoral Combat Ships is on its way to the president’s desk following a vote to pass the bill in the House last night.

After lawmakers cast their last votes on the bill around 7:30 pm, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead sent out statements lauding Congress for the decision.

"I'm grateful Congress has authorized the Navy to move forward with the dual block buy for LCS,” Mabus wrote. “This is a unique and valuable opportunity to lock in the benefits of competition and provide needed ships to our Fleet in a timely and extraordinarily cost effective manner. It is the right thing to do; for our Navy, our industrial base, and the taxpayers."

"I am very pleased and grateful Congress has enabled the Navy's plan to add these needed ships to our Fleet,” Roughead added. “This is good for the Navy, shipbuilders and taxpayers."

The Navy has been pushing since November for Congress to approve its new acquisition strategy for the LCS. Earlier in the year, the service planned to downselect between the Lockheed Martine-Marinette Marine team and Austal USA, but after bids came in with lower-than-expected prices, Navy officials switched gears and asked for permission to buy both versions of the ship.

Getting the approval had been a race against the clock because the price guarantees in the bids originally expired on Dec. 14. They were later extended to the end of December.

Language permitting the dual buy was included in several bills, most of which died on Capitol Hill. The one that passed was a stripped-down continuing resolution that extends the federal budget to March. It included a single clause stating, “Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of the Navy may award a contract or contracts for up to 20 Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).”