Surface Combatants

The Navy now spends about $3 billion each year to modernize its surface combatant force. The high costs of these ships, especially the $870 million price tag for each Arleigh Burke destroyer, raises questions about the Navy's ability to sustain this force level. The Navy's plan to build and maintain a fleet of 125 cruisers, destroyers, and frigates through the year 2013 hinges on optimistic assumptions about future defense budgets and ship construction schedules. Moreover, the Navy has yet to explain how this force level relates to the national defense strategy of fighting two nearly simultaneous regional conflicts.

GAO noted that: (1) the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Navy are pursuing a surface combatant force size and construction program based largely on budget priorities, industrial base concerns, and operational requirements; (2) DOD has not clearly explained the link and any underlying assumptions between the force and the national military strategy; (3) DOD and Navy studies illustrate that the size of the force can vary widely depending on the specific assumptions considered; (4) an explanation of the linkage between force size and key assumptions would assist Congress in evaluating the appropriateness of the Navy's surface combatant program; (5) the Navy can sustain at least 125 surface combatants through 2013 if it: (a) completes its Arleigh Burke-class destroyer construction program as planned; (b) maintains its current build rate of three ships a year; and (c) retains existing ships in its inventory for their expected service lives; (6) however, these conditions hinge on the Navy's ability to sustain budget levels to support its ship construction plans, successfully compete with other Navy and defense programs, and retain its surface combatants longer than achieved for previous ships; (7) several factors could affect the size, composition, and overall capability of the surface combatant force through the middle of the next century; and (8) these factors include: (a) decisions related to the appropriate size and mix of surface combatants within the Navy and other DOD priorities; (b) the design and construction program for the 21st Century Surface Combatant; (c) the results of DOD's ongoing quadrennial defense review, which could change the planning parameters for meeting the mandates of the U.S. military strategy; (d) introduction of new or improved capabilities that could affect doctrine, operational concepts, and responsibilities for the force; (e) introduction of the Arsenal Ship, which could lead DOD and the Navy to reexamine force requirements and employment; and (f) force efficiency strategies, such as expanded overseas home porting and alternative deployment schemes, which could help to increase force availability and use.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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