Navy Shipbuilding: Increased Use of Leading Design Practices Could Improve Timeliness of Deliveries

Abstract

Changing maritime threats are pushing the U.S. Navy to increase its pace for designing and delivering new ships. Since 2009, GAO has used leading practices in commercial shipbuilding to evaluate the plans and execution of Navy shipbuilding programs. GAO’s numerous recommendations have spurred Navy action to improve acquisition practices and the use of taxpayer dollars. Yet, the Navy has continued to face persistent challenges in its ability to design and deliver timely, affordable new ships that perform as expected. In response to the Navy's shipbuilding issues and interest in identifying how modern design practices support timely delivery of new ships, GAO completed a review to assess (1) the leading design practices used by commercial ship buyers and builders to inform their understanding of design maturity and readiness for construction, and (2) how the Navy’s ship design practices compare to the leading practices in commercial ship design.