Amphib buys may accelerate: Guerts

After sidelining amphibious vessels in FY 2020’s Navy budget requests, top acquisition executive Hondo Geurts told Congress March 27 that the service could accelerate buying two amphibious ships, if provided funding authority, in FY-21’s budget submissions. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), a member of the Senate Armed Services seapower subcommittee, asked Guerts if the authority would be "advantageous" related to amphibious assault ship LHA-9 and the amphibious transport dock LPD-31. (Wicker’s home state includes Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Pascagoula shipyard that has already built a number of LHAs and LPDs.) A few lawmakers urged the Navy last year to request advanced funding for LHA-9 in FY-20 and authorization to buy in FY-21. The Navy did not make either request for FY-20. LPD-31 had been scheduled for procurement in FY-20, but was deferred to FY-21. Geurts acknowledged being concerned about LHA-9 being pushed out to FY-24 based on the industrial base. "It was there from an affordability standpoint,” he told Wicker. There been a 7-year gap between LHA-8 and LHA-9, which is “longer than ideal.” Incremental funding authority could accelerate those ships' construction since Congress already provided $350M in advance procurement in FY-19’s defense bill for those two vessels. Amphibs were pushed aside in the FY-20 request in favor of a third attack sub and a third Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Vice Adm. William Merz, the top requirements officer, testified to House lawmakers March 27 that the Navy was looking to accelerate the time line for the future Large Surface Combatant (LSC). The CNO has said that the Navy is aiming to begin procuring the first in-class LSC in FY-23. The new budget request shows the Navy plans to buy the lead ship in FY-25. The large combatants may well take on one of the current Littoral Combat Ship’s design. (Source: Inside Defense 03/27/19) Gulf Coast Note: HII-Pascagoula began building LHAs again in 2008 with the first-in-class USS America (LHA 6). The 2nd ship, Tripoli (LHA 7), is under construction. Ingalls was selected to build LHA 8. The LPD 17 program at Ingalls was first awarded in late 1996. The first eight ships in the LPD 17 class – USS San Antonio (LPD 17), USS New Orleans (LPD 18), USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), USS Green Bay (LPD 20), USS New York (LPD 21), USS San Diego (LPD 22), USS Anchorage (LPD 23), USS Arlington (LPD 24), USS Somerset (LPD 25) and USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) – have been delivered to the Navy. The future Portland (LPD 27) is in the yard. In December 2015, an advance procurement contract was awarded for LPD 28.