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Date: Sun, 20 May 2007 18:16:43 -0400
To: TSCM-L <TSCM-..._at_googlegroups.com>
From: "James M. Atkinson" <jm..._at_tscm.com>
Subject: Coast Guard's Deepwater program blasted
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Doesn't help that Lockheed is trying like hell to
cover this whole thing up and sweep it under the rug.
-jma
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003714405_deepwater20.html?syndication=rss
Coast Guard's Deepwater program blasted
By Maria Recio
McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON When the Coast Guard's first large
cutter in 35 years was christened in November at
Northrop Grumman's Pascagoula, Miss., shipyard,
it was a gleaming symbol of the service's
ambitious $24 billion Deepwater program to update its aging fleet.
Six months later, Deepwater is listing under a
storm of congressional criticism for design
mistakes, cost overruns and lax oversight. A
botched program to lengthen existing patrol boats
from 110 feet to 123 feet has forced the Coast
Guard to cancel the conversions and scrap eight ships.
The Pascagoula-built National Security Cutter, at
418 feet the crown jewel of the Deepwater
program, is under scrutiny for metal fatigue that
critics say shortens its 30-year life to less than five years.
Four government audits have criticized management
of the project, which involves 91 new ships and
240 aircraft. Some of those vessels would be based in Washington state waters.
The Coast Guard has responded to the hammering
from lawmakers by taking oversight of Deepwater
from the contractor, Integrated Coast Guard
Systems (ICGS), a joint venture between Lockheed
Martin and Northrop Grumman; canceling the
conversions; and making design modifications to the National Security Cutter.
Thursday, the service announced at a House
Homeland Security Committee hearing that it had
taken the first legal step to recoup the $100
million loss of the eight cutters from the
contractor. ICGS said it is evaluating the Coast
Guard letter demanding a refund.
But many members of Congress are pressing for more.
Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., calls the failed
110-foot conversion program "the poster child" of what's wrong with Deepwater.
"They stopped after ruining eight boats," said
Taylor, a former Coast Guard reservist who
commanded patrol boats. "What angers me is we
have eight ruined boats, $100 million spent and
no one is held accountable. No one has been demoted."
The 13-foot section added to lengthen the ships
ended up causing the hull to buckle under the stress of rough waters.
In addition, whistle-blowers alerted
congressional investigators that small
search-and-rescue boats that the 123-foot vessel
carried had radios that were not waterproof, a
finding Taylor said was "bizarre."
The company vigorously defends its performance.
"Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, along with
more than 600 suppliers from over 41 states and
many best-of-breed manufacturers from around the
world, form the industry team that is committed
to supporting the Coast Guard's Deepwater
program," said Margaret Mitchell-Jones, ICGS communications director.
"ICGS and its suppliers are meeting the terms
contracted by the Coast Guard. While costs and
capabilities have expanded due to post 9/11
requirements, these are not cost overruns to the
baseline contract, but rather reflect changes
necessitated by new mission requirements." The
program, she said, "has achieved significant progress."
Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen, who
assumed control of the service last year,
announced the program changes last month. "We've
relied too much on contractors to do the work of
government as a result of tightening budgets, a
dearth of contracting expertise in the federal
government and a loss of focus on critical
governmental roles and responsibilities in the
management and oversight of acquisition programs," he said.
Allen appeared to be trying to head off
legislation, but the Senate Commerce Committee
last month approved a bill authored by Sen. Maria
Cantwell, D-Wash., chair of the committee's
oceans, atmosphere, fisheries and Coast Guard
subcommittee. The legislation would prevent Coast
Guard reliance on a private contractor, open the
bidding process and impose more oversight from government agencies.
Material from The Seattle Times archives is included in this report.
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