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The U.S. Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base
Force Structure, Cost, Schedule, and Technology Issues for CVN77
This report documents the methods and findings of RAND research on the adequacy of the defense industrial base to support further construction of aircraft carriers and on the cost, schedule, and technology issues associated with building the next carrier, designated CVN 77. If the current carrier force size of 12 ships is to be maintained and if a decay in the quality of basic capabilities is to be avoided, CVN 77 cannot be started more than a year or so beyond the currently planned date of 2002. The earlier CVN is started, the less it will cost. Increasing the build duration from the planned 6.5 years to 8.5 years will also reduce costs. However, timing should not greatly affect the survival of suppliers of carrier components. The report recommends beginning ship fabrication before 2002 (which could save hundreds of millions of dollars); ordering contractor-furnished equipment in advance of shipyard start (a savings of tens of millions); and investment in R&D directed toward adapting production processes and engineering improvements that could reduce the cost of carrier construction, operation and maintenance, and manning. In fact, the costs involved in building and operating carriers are so huge that the Navy should consider establishing a stable annual R&D funding level for these ships. Appendixes to the report provide supporting data.
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Pages: 201
ISBN/EAN: 0-8330-2597-X
Contents
Preface PDF
Figures PDF
Tables PDF
Summary PDF
Acknowledgments PDF
Abbreviations and Acronyms PDF
Chapter One:
Introduction PDF
Chapter Two:
Aircraft Carriers and the Carrier Industrial Base PDF
Chapter Three:
How Force Structure Objectives Constrain Carrier Production Schedules PDF
Chapter Four:
How the Cvn 77 Start Date Affects Shipbuilder Cost PDF
Chapter Five:
How Cvn 77 Construction Affects Nuclear- Component Vendors PDF
Chapter Six:
Issues Related to Suppliers of Nonnuclear Components PDF
Chapter Seven:
Research and Development to Save Costs on Future Carriers PDF
Chapter Eight:
Conclusions and Recommendations PDF
Appendix A:
Carrier Data PDF
Appendix B:
Crisis-Response Data, 1950-1996 PDF
Appendix C:
Carrier Fleets of the World PDF
Appendix D:
Components of Shipbuilder Cost Differences PDF
Appendix E:
Labor Required for Various Projects at Newportnews Shipbuilding PDF
Appendix F:
Large Surface-Ship Production in Great Britain PDF
Appendix G:
Issues of Aircraft Carrier Production in France PDF
Appendix H:
Cruise-Ship Production at Kvaerner Masa Helsinki New Shipyard PDF
Chapter I:
Italian Cruise-Ship Production by Fincantieri PDF
Appendix J:
Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carrier Operating and Support Costs PDF
Bibliography PDF
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