Subject: Re: Believeble, given what we have seen
Well, just so we’re clear, John Phelan does not have any Naval experience.

There has been considerable discussion of what Phelan gifted we taxpayers as SecNav, on a Navy focused board on FB. The Constellation class frigate program was running years behind, and far over budget. The cost of a Connie had inflated to $1.4B, by the time Phelan cancelled the contract with Fincantieri, replaced with a contract for a gussied up Coast Guard cutter, from Huntington Ingalls.

The gussied up cutter lacks a VLS system, no means of carrying RIM-66 "Standard" surface to air missiles, and no anti-submarine capability. And what does this smaller and less capable ship cost? Preliminary estimate $1.4B/ship, the same as the larger, more capable, Connie. The mind boggles at how much *that* price will escalate by the time they start cutting steel.

So, how big of a bribe did HII pay?

That must be why his nibs wants that $1.5T/year "defense" budget: to provide more money, for more corruption.

Steve