Wednesday, January 18, 2017

DDG LRLAP.

This is coolbert:

DDG is a tiger without teeth? NOT totally so but partially so?

"Navy says it won't buy any more $800,000 shells for new destroyer"

 LRLAP refers to the Long Range Land-Attack Projectile.

"WASHINGTON — It may be time to consign the $800,000-per-shell cost of the new destroyer USS Zumwalt's [DDG] long-range ammunition [LRLAP] to that dubious list of Pentagon-procured $640 toilet seats, $37 screws and $436 hammers."

"The Navy has reportedly balked at the price and isn’t planning to buy more."

. . . .

"Defense News, quoting an unnamed Navy official, broke the story that the long-range shells [LRLAP] for the newest U.S. Navy destroyer . . . are too expensive at $800,000 each, and no more will be purchased."

Comments:

* DDG still retains an offensive capability. Organic anti-ship cruise missiles loaded prior to each mission and available as needed.

* My impression was that the DDG Advanced Gun System [AGS] could fire a variety of rounds to include the LRLAP. This is not so? LRLAP the only round as was designed for the AGS?

* Cost as estimated per LRLAP round predicated on the assumption that thirty-two DDG would be built. ONLY three will be finally constructed.

Dig this amazing stuff too. Modification of the AGS very costly and not accomplished but with difficulty:

"Other projectiles are being examined to replace the LRLAP, but since it is the only munition designed to be fired from the AGS, the barrel, software, cooling system, and automated magazines would have to be modified to accommodate a different round . . . It could cost up to $250 million in engineering costs to modify all six guns on the three ships to accept a new round"

NO ONE EVER SAID WAR WAS CHEAP, DID THEY?

coolbert.




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