Tag Archives: Fiscal Year 2018

Training, Spares Already Hurt by Continuing Resolution; Longer CR Would Block Slew of Ship Buys in January

Training, Spares Already Hurt by Continuing Resolution; Longer CR Would Block Slew of Ship Buys in January

The guided missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG-108) leads the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD-47) and San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD-23) in formation during a simulated strait transit as part of Dawn Blitz 2017. US Navy Photo

Lawmakers bought themselves two more weeks to pass a defense spending bill, after extending the continuing resolution that has funded the government since the start of the fiscal year, but the Navy is already seeing decreased readiness as a result of operating under a CR and would face severe procurement challenges if a defense budget isn’t passed by the end of the month. Read More

Top Navy Procurement Programs Facing Slow Start In FY 2018 Due to Continuing Resolution

Top Navy Procurement Programs Facing Slow Start In FY 2018 Due to Continuing Resolution

A crane moves the lower stern into place on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) at Huntington Ingalls Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va. on June 22, 2017. HII Photo

The Navy is unable to start or ramp up a range of major programs under a continuing resolution, and Pentagon officials are urging the quick passage of a full FY 2018 budget. Read More

Navy Using 'Legally Creative' Contract Structure to Keep Ship Availabilities On Track Despite Continuing Resolutions

Navy Using ‘Legally Creative’ Contract Structure to Keep Ship Availabilities On Track Despite Continuing Resolutions

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) transits the Elizabeth river from its homeport at Naval Station Norfolk to Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 2016. US Navy Photo

The Navy has gotten creative in dealing with budget uncertainties and continuing resolutions, developing a new ship maintenance contract structure to keep 11 ship availabilities on track at the beginning of Fiscal Year 2018 that would otherwise face major delays due to the impending CR, the head of surface ship maintenance told USNI News. Read More

Experts Outline Costs, Benefits of Building a 355-Ship Navy Before Senate Panel

Experts Outline Costs, Benefits of Building a 355-Ship Navy Before Senate Panel

A crane moves the lower stern into place on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) at Huntington Ingalls Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va. on June 22, 2017. HII Photo

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Spending more money now to increase the Navy’s fleet size will signal to potential adversaries their victory at sea is not possible, but accomplishing this is neither cheap nor quick, a quartet of experts told a Senate panel on Tuesday. Read More

Trump Admin Pays for 2nd 2018 Littoral Combat Ship By Delaying Reactor Core for Carrier Overhaul, Other Cuts

Trump Admin Pays for 2nd 2018 Littoral Combat Ship By Delaying Reactor Core for Carrier Overhaul, Other Cuts

Littoral Combat Ships USS Freedom (LCS-1) and USS Coronado (LCS-4) sit at the pier at Naval Station San Diego on Feb. 17, 2016. USNI News photo.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this post incorrectly stated where a nuclear reactor the Trump administration delayed to free up funds for a second Littoral Combat Ship would be used. The reactor will be installed as part of a yet to be determined carrier overhaul, not on USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74).

The Trump administration is pushing back the purchase of a reactor core for a future carrier overhaul carrier, savings on amphibious ship modernization and deferring a radar for a destroyer upgrade to pay about $500 million for second Littoral Combat Ship hull in the second budget. Read More

Senators Limited Littoral Combat Ship Program to 1 Hull in 2018 After 'Compelling' Testimony by Acting SECNAV Stackley

Senators Limited Littoral Combat Ship Program to 1 Hull in 2018 After ‘Compelling’ Testimony by Acting SECNAV Stackley

The littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) is underway in formation with ships from the Royal Thai Navy as part of a division tactics exercise during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Thailand on June 3, 2017. US Navy photo.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Testimony in which acting Secretary of the Navy Sean Stackley said a single Littoral Combat Ship in 2018 was the minimum needed to preserve the two shipyards was taken to heart in crafting the Senate Armed Services Committee’s defense bill that held to one LCS, SASC staffers on Thursday. Read More