Adding Arleigh Burkes: H.I.I. is Underway
Sep 27, 2011 17:48 EDT
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Flight III cost explosion? (Nov 16/11)
In April 2009, “Bath, Ingalls Agree to Navy’s Surface Combatant Plans” heralded a significant restructuring within the American naval shipbuilding community. Under the agreements, the USA would end production at 3 Graf Spee sized DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class “destroyers,” but shift all production from the Congressionally-mandated joint arrangements to General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine, which had already made program-related investments in advanced shipbuilding technologies.
Northrop Grumman (now Huntington Ingalls Industries) would retain its DDG-1000 deckhouse work, but their main exchange was additional orders for DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyers. Their Ingalls yard in Pascagoula, Mississippi would continue building the DDG-51 destroyers, beginning with 2 ordered in FY 2010-2011. They would also become the lead design yard for the program, taking over from Bath Iron Works. Even as America’s plans for its future navy begin to revolve around the DDG-51s once again…
The US Navy’s Revised DDG-51 Plan
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With the DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class ended at 3 ships, the DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class ships will become more important to the future navy. The Navy’s FY2011 budget would also terminate the planned CG (X) cruiser program as unaffordable, replacing it with an updated DDG-51 Flight III version, starting in FY 2016.
The current DDG-51 Flight IIA version would remain in production from FY 2010-2015, buying 2 more Flight IIA ships in 2011 at a total cost of about $3.5 billion, and then another 6 from FY 2011-2015. Northrop Grumman ships ordered to date include:
- DDG 113
- DDG 114
Beyond that, US Navy plans appear to call for buying an undetermined number of DDG-51 Flight IIIs through at least FY 2022, and perhaps until FY 2031. Both Bath Iron Works and Northrop Grumman will continue to build ships of class, but lead yard status will shift to Northrop Grumman.
The DDG-51 Flight IIIs are expected to carry a smaller version of the new Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) dual-band active array that was to be carried by the CG (X). Other enhancements will be fleshed out as detailed design work on the Flight III commences, reportedly in FY 2012-2013. Unfortunately, there have been early reports that integration of the AMDR radar could prove to be a problem. The new radar will need to have a power draw that the ship can handle, cooling needs that the ship’s design can meet, and fit within the ship’s available space without changing its balance and stability.
Contracts & Key Events
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One thing to notice while reading these is that ship construction contracts do not include important equipment like guns, radar, combat systems, missile launchers, etc. Those are bought independently as “Government Furnished Equipment,” though ship construction contracts do pay to have that equipment installed in the ships. Many of those contracts are not publicly announced, or not broken out specifically by ship. As such, ancillary contracts covered here are suggestive and informative, not comprehensive.
Nov 16/11: Jane’s Navy International is reporting that DDG-51 flight III destroyers with the new AMDR radar and hybrid propulsion drives could cost $3-4 billion each.
If that’s true, it’s about the same cost as a DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class ship, in return for less performance, more vulnerability, and less future upgrade space. AMDR isn’t a final design yet, so it’s still worthwhile to ask what
(click to view full)
Flight III cost explosion? (Nov 16/11)
In April 2009, “Bath, Ingalls Agree to Navy’s Surface Combatant Plans” heralded a significant restructuring within the American naval shipbuilding community. Under the agreements, the USA would end production at 3 Graf Spee sized DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class “destroyers,” but shift all production from the Congressionally-mandated joint arrangements to General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine, which had already made program-related investments in advanced shipbuilding technologies.
Northrop Grumman (now Huntington Ingalls Industries) would retain its DDG-1000 deckhouse work, but their main exchange was additional orders for DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyers. Their Ingalls yard in Pascagoula, Mississippi would continue building the DDG-51 destroyers, beginning with 2 ordered in FY 2010-2011. They would also become the lead design yard for the program, taking over from Bath Iron Works. Even as America’s plans for its future navy begin to revolve around the DDG-51s once again…
