Crs Report for Congress - Navy Lpd-17 Amphibious Ship Procurement: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress June 4, 2009 - Rl34476 (Paperback)

On April 6, 2009, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced a number of decisions regarding the Department of Defenses (DODs) proposed FY2010 defense budget. Among these was a decision to defer the procurement of an 11th San Antonio (LPD-17) class amphibious ship (and of another sealift-type ship called the Mobile Landing Platform, or MLP) from FY2010 to FY2011 in order to assess costs and analyze the amount of these capabilities the nation needs. The Navys proposed FY2010 budget requests $872.4 million in procurement funding to complete the cost of the 10th LPD-17, which was authorized but only partially funded in FY2009. The FY2010 budget estimates the procurement cost of this ship at $1,852.5 million. The ship has received $980.1 million in prior-year funding, most of which was provided in FY2009. The proposed FY2010 budget also requests $184.6 million in advance procurement (AP) funding for an 11th LPD-17 class ship to be procured in FY2011. Although the Navys planned 313-ship fleet calls for a 31-ship amphibious force that includes 10 LPD-17s, Navy and Marine Corps officials agree that a 33-ship amphibious force that includes 11 LPD-17s would be needed to minimally meet the Marine Corps goal of having an amphibious ship ...