Cost estimate for Ford class carriers 'not reliable'

摘要

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) in the US says the cost estimate for the second Ford class aircraft carrier, CVN 79, is "not reliable and does not address lessons learned from the performance of the lead ship, CVN 78." As a result, the estimate does not demonstrate that the programme can meet its US$11.4 billion cost cap. Cost growth for the lead ship was driven by challenges with technology development, design, and construction, compounded by an optimistic budget estimate. Instead of learning from the mistakes of CVN 78, the GAO says the US Navy developed an estimate for CVN 79 that assumes a reduction in labour hours needed to construct the ship that is unprecedented in the past 50 years of aircraft carrier construction.