A November report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) identified a recurring flaw in Navy and Coast Guard shipbuilding programs: ships are being laid down before the full design is complete, leading to massive delays and budget overruns.
The most affected programs:
๐น Polar Security Cutter (PSC) Icebreaker
The design documentation was only partially completed when work began.
Due to numerous revisions, the displacement increased from 14,000 to 18,000 tons, the cost nearly doubled, and the deadline was pushed back to 2030.
๐น Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) Patrol Vessels
Due to serious delays and financial problems, the contract for construction of part of the series was terminated.
The project is several years behind schedule.
๐น Constellation-class frigates
Even the first ships in the series have been delayed by 3-4 years, and part of the program has been scaled back after increasing risks and uncertainty.
According to the GAO, early construction starts are the main factor “paralyzing” major defense projects: already built hull sections have to be redesigned to fit modified designs, causing a chain reaction of delays and increasing costs.
The report emphasizes that this problem has been observed in the US for over 20 years, and without a change in approach, construction of new ships will continue to be over budget and over schedule.