Some members of Congress are looking to speed up acquisition of the Navy’s next Marine-carrying amphibious ship, a move industry officials say will ultimately make the project less expensive.
The Amphibious Warship Industrial Base Coalition has called on Congress to move the start of construction on LX(R), the newest amphibious transport dock ship, to 2018, from a planned date of 2020.
“Moving the start of construction to 2018 will build on the significant investments made by Congress in the LPD ship class and in particular LPD 28, the 12th ship of the San Antonio-class,” the coalition said in a press release.
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee, said speeding up the ships will better enable commanders to meet operational needs.
“Our combatant commanders require over 50 amphibious ships on a day-to-day operational basis, while our current inventory is just 30 ships. Congress should heed the advice of our commanders in the field and expedite the construction of the LXR ship,” he said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
These types of ships are able to flood their well decks, which enables amphibious watercraft to carry Marines to shore.
Huntington Ingalls Industries, which will make LX(R), said in a statement that moving up the planned start date will make the program more efficient.
“It takes advantage of a mature design, hot production line, stable vendor base and the talent, experience and facilities of Ingalls Shipbuilding,” Beci Brenton, a spokeswoman for Huntington Ingalls, said in a statement. “It also creates a predictable and steady construction schedule for our suppliers, allowing them to make investments in their workforce and facilities, lowering cost and improving efficiencies.”
Sean Stackley, the Navy’s top acquisition official, told Congress this month that the date could be pushed forward to 2019, but not 2018 as the coalition asked.
