The littoral combat ship might not be living up to the Navy's promises

The Navy positioned the littoral combat ship, manufactured by both Lockheed Martin Corp. and Austal USA, as a low-cost alternative to other ships in the surface fleet. Six years after the first one was commissioned, it appears the LCS might not be living up to that promise.

Here’s why: Available data, much of it collected during the first-time deployment of Lockheed Martin's USS Freedom to Singapore, indicates that per year, per ship life-cycle costs are nearing or may exceed those of other surface ships, including multi-mission ships with greater size and larger crews.

According to a report from the Government Accountability Office, average life-cycle cost per year for the LCS is estimated to be $79 million — $64 million for the sea frames, and $15 million for mission modules. Compare that to 2011 estimates of $68 million all together.

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