Different Views on LCS

Admiral Mullen, October 12th.

MS. WOODRUFF: You can slow the growth, but what about actual cuts? I mean, do you see actual cuts out there to reduce the size of the military budget, even by a couple percent?

ADM. MULLEN: I think there will be more cuts. We’re going through that process right now. Again, I’ve been doing budgets a long time, and I think what Secretary Gates did in the fiscal year ’10 budget amendment, where he eliminated so many programs - I mean, really tough, tough decisions - was signature, in terms of meeting this requirement.

And I think there will be more. I think major programs from all the services, which are not performing well, which can’t get themselves under control in terms of cost and schedule, that they’re going to be looking at either being slowed down dramatically or being eliminated.

MS. WOODRUFF: All right, a couple specific spending questions very quickly: The Navy, over the next few decades, we’re told, wants to extend the number of ships to about 313 from about 286 today. This includes 55 of the so-called littoral combat ships - shallow-water ships that have experienced major cost increases. Can the country afford them?

ADM. MULLEN: I would put them in the same category. If LCS is unable to contain itself, in terms of cost and schedule, then I don’t think it has much of a future.

Admiral Roughead, October 23rd. (DOC)

To be clear, our Navy has made some very good progress in anticipating such a challenging environment. We’ve achieved a certain momentum in building the future force, maintaining readiness and supporting our Sailors that will stand us in good stead as we weather tough fiscal seas. We will soon be building on average 10 ships a year, including the littoral combat ship, the joint high speed vessel, the mobile logistics platform and new guided missile destroyers to achieve our goal of, at least, a fleet of 313 ships. We released the total force vision for the 21st century and reduced the transition between active and reserve components from four months to one week, making us a much more responsive force for future operational requirements. And we continue to earn recognition as a top employer for competitive education, our health and compensation benefits, ensuring that we keep the immense talent we have in the Navy today, and remain competitive for the nation’s best and brightest of tomorrow.

More here by ADM Roughead on LCS.