Navy ship modernization: poor cruiser outcomes demonstrate need for better planning and quality oversight in future efforts : report to congressional committees.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

United States. Government Accountability Office, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Navy--Maintenance and repair--Planning--Evaluation.

United States.

Battle cruisers--United States--Maintenance and repair--Planning--Evaluation.

Battle cruisers.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (iii, 72 pages) : color illustrations, color map

Other Title:

Poor cruiser outcomes demonstrate need for better planning and quality oversight in future efforts

GAO-25-106749 cruiser modernization

Place of Publication:

Washington, DC : United States Government Accountability Office, 2024.

Summary:

In 2012 and 2013, the Navy proposed retiring several cruisers due to budget constraints. Congress rejected the Navy's proposal and provided funding to modernize these ships. In response, the Navy planned to use a phased approach to modernization that would extend 11 cruisers' service life by 5 years and upgrade the vessels' combat capability. The Navy originally planned to complete all 11 cruisers by fiscal year 2026. The Navy has other upcoming significant surface ship modernization efforts, such as for 23 destroyers. The success of these efforts is critical to the Navy having a combat-ready fleet. This report assesses, among other things, the extent to which (1) the Navy met its modernization objectives; (2) the Navy's planning affected outcomes; and (3) the Navy exercised effective quality control and oversight of the effort. GAO is making six recommendations, including that the Navy assess root causes of unplanned work, develop mitigation strategies, and codify these strategies in policy; and re-assess its overall approach to quality assurance to prevent similar issues in future surface ship modernization efforts.

Contents:

Background.

Navy spent about $3.7 billion on cruiser modernization, experienced significant quality issues, and recently deployed one of these ships.

Insufficient planning led to poor execution and outcomes.

Weakened quality assurance tools and uncoordinated work hindered cruiser modernization oversight.

Navy has neither extended the service lives of the modernized cruisers as planned nor supported its divestment decisions.

Conclusions.

Recommendations for executive action.

Agency comments.

Appendices.

Notes:

"December 2024."

"GAO-25-106749."

In scope of the U.S. Government Publishing Office Cataloging and Indexing Program (C&I) and Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP).

Includes bibliographical references.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF cover (GAO, viewed December 18, 2024).

OCLC:

1479740186