Navy, SECDEF at odds over LCS

Both Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson told Congress that the service still has plans for acquiring 52 Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). However, Defense Secretary Ash Carter doubled down on his December decision to delete 12 of those LCS, or new Fast Frigates. “Forty is enough, and the Navy's own war-fighting analysis indicates that,” Carter told reporters in Seattle, where he met with Microsoft and Amazon executives. It’s the “right decision” allowing the Navy to “have the right kinds of ships, lethality and to make investments in technology,” he said. (Source: Defense Daily 0/04/16) Gulf Coast Maritime Note: SECDEF’s decision also requires the Navy to choose just one of the two shipbuilders to continue work on LCS – Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., or Marienette (Wis.) Marine.