Navy Cuts One Littoral Combat Ship in 2015
Navy had planned to buy two of each of the different small warships built by Lockheed and Austal in fiscal 2015 and 2016, but it scaled back those orders to three ships a year as a result of budget cuts mandated by Congress. Assistant Navy Secretary Sean Stackley told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee's seapower subcommittee that Navy officials would now meet with both companies, and evaluate their schedules, material purchases, expenditures and performance before deciding how to divy up the orders this year. "What we are striving for is an outcome that has zero impact
U.S. Navy Treading Water on Shipbuilding
of the fleet is not growing, and is not likely to reach the stated goal of 313 ships any time soon. There are currently 288 ships counted—up from 274 in March of 2007—but that number will still be 288 five years from now. However, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus told the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Proposed Fiscal 2013 Defense Authorization, the “fleet of 2017 will include more more-capable ships equipped with state-of-the- art technology and manned as always by highly skilled people.” Greenert has communicated his priorities through his “Sailing
February 2025
