Navy to Accelerate LDUUV and XLUUV Acquisitions
Ocean News
Boeing’s autonomous Echo Voyager XLUUV. In 2017, Lockheed Martin was awarded $43.2 million and Boeing $42.3 million for the design phase of the Orca XLUUV system and delivery of a technical data package. Boeing is working with Huntington Ingalls Industries [HII] on the Orca and its bid is influenced by the Echo Voyager UUV, while Lockheed Martin’s design is based on its Marlin UUV.
According to a Senate Report on the Department of Defense Appropriations bill for FY2019 (S. 3159), the U.S. Navy plans to accelerate its acquisition strategies for Large Displacement and Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (LDUUV and XLUUV).
Concerning LDUUV acquisitions, the 28 June 2018 report states:
“The fiscal year 2019 President’s budget includes $92,613,000 to initiate the fabrication of two Phase I prototype LDUUVs. Subsequent to the budget submission, the Navy informed the Committee of plans to revise its LDUUV acquisition strategy and accelerate the LDUUV program by removing Phase II from the acquisition strategy and transitioning the Phase I design to industry 5 years earlier than previously planned, which eliminates the need for Phase II funding.
“The Committee supports the proposed acceleration of the program; however (the Committee) is concerned that the revised program schedule may be unaffordable.
Therefore, the Committee recommends reducing the scope of the Phase I effort and further accelerating the transition of the LDUUV design to industry. The Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) is directed to provide the congressional defense committees, with the fiscal year 2020 President’s budget request, an updated LDUUV acquisition strategy, and the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller) is directed to provide updated cost estimates for the LDUUV program and to certify full funding in the budget request for the revised acquisition strategy.”
Concerning XLUUV acquisitions, the report states:
“The fiscal year 2019 President’s budget request includes $117,856,000 in various program elements for the development of Extra Large Unmanned Underwater Vehicles [XLUUV] and associated payloads in response to a Joint Emergent Operational Need [JEON] from U.S. Pacific Command. The Committee notes that two competitive design contracts were awarded by the Navy for Phase 1 of the program and that the Navy had planned to conduct a competitive selection for Phase 2 in 2018. Subsequent to the submission of the fiscal year 2019 President’s budget request, the Navy revised its acquisition strategy and informed the Committee that the Navy now plans to award Phase 2 fabrication contracts to both vendors.
“The Committee understands that this requires $25,000,000 in fiscal year 2019 above the budget request and that additional funds will be required in fiscal years 2020—2023, which the Navy will include in the fiscal year 2020 President’s budget request. The Committee agrees with the revised acquisition strategy to allow for greater competition and recommends $25,000,000 above the budget request in fiscal year 2019, as required. The Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller) is directed to certify, with the fiscal year 2020 President’s budget request, full funding for the Navy’s revised acquisition strategy.”
Overall, the Senate Committee on Appropriations reported favorably on the bill and recommended its passage.
