Navy Urged to Slow Littoral Ship Deployments Until More Testing
- Senators McCain, Reed cite complexity, scope of coming tests
- `Close the chasm between aspirations and reality,' they say
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Two top senators on defense issues say U.S. Navy leaders should consider delaying deployment of the new Littoral Combat Ship and tone down their effusive rhetoric about the vessel until it successfully completes more testing.
With six ships of a planned 40 delivered but “practically no LCS mission capabilities proven” for mine clearance, surface warfare and submarine-hunting, “we urge you to reevaluate the deployment strategy,” John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Jack Reed, the panel’s top Democrat, in a letter dated Feb. 5.