Defense acquisitions

As a result of a substantial investment of time and money, the Navy has reduced the risks associated with a number of essential technologies, including the nuclear propulsion and electric plant. At this time, several technical risks that could lead to increased construction costs and potentially result in capability reductions still remain. In particular, the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), the advanced arresting gear, and the dual band radar face key tests with little margin for resolving problems before they begin to disrupt the optimal CVN 78 construction schedule and increase ship costs. If key systems arrive late, more labor cost may be incurred because of inefficient work-arounds and schedule delays. EMALS and the advanced arresting gear are vital to meeting key capabilities and must be delivered to the shipyard on time to maintain the construction schedule. The dual band radar enables a smaller island structure on the deck of the carrier, facilitating the ship's increased sortie generation rate. All three systems have experienced schedule delays because of technical and other challenges.