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GAO-06-764 1 (2006-06-23)

handle is hein.gao/gaocrptatol0001 and id is 1 raw text is: ~ Acouta tyntgrity- Reliabilty Higlights Highlights of GAO-06-764, a report to congressional requesters. Why GAO Did This Study The CoaistGtuard hats been pur-sing a'epaemn veslfor its aginjg atnd deteri'ora;tIing patrIIol boats aIS part1 ol'fl h e Igated Deepwater Syse (or. Depatr cquisiion1. O rigina; lly* , all 49 of thec Coast Guard'.(Is 110-foot patr11ol boatls wvere to be, .onvrtedj,( intjo 123)-f'oot pat0rol boat as brigingstrtegy unil aI replacemntvess l(, 140-f'oot Faist Re(sp~onse Cutter (FTZC) camie onl line beginningi inl 2018. The inlit ial conver-sions of, the 10-foot patr~lol boatIs poe nucsfl thlough, an1d this promipted theo Coatst Giuard to cance lfuter. pat1rol boatl coniver-sionis and oftheli FRC) fr-om 2018 to 2007. Early~ de(signl e,'ffors cale or. the( FRC' huI ,li ll, decks, and1( bu lllkea ds t o be ma1;de fr-oml -omplosite, mterllials prioblemns w~ith the( FRC's hutll shape andj~ we(ightj have\raise qutl(ionjs abjoutj the( vjibiity ofthle FRC)( designl and( utse of comlposite mat:1erils. This reportexmie (1) thie fact0ors that \ went into I te decisionA t o use;( comp11osite mat;[Ierialds f'or. t FRCt( hutll, (2) the( type)(s of' comiposite lmaterils thathav beenl selected f'or the FRC( hutll, (3)) the e'Xtent1 of .ontngnc plan11S developed for. use if' thIe prot otype)( hull1 fa-ils to meetl Coast Guar-d perf1ormll;ance requir-eents, anid (4) thec statuts of, designl efforts f'or the FRC. The Coaislt Guad concurred with the finding~s inl this r-eport. www.gao.gov/cgi-biri/getrpt?GAO-06-764. To view the full product. including the scope and methodology. click on the link above. For more information. contact Stephen Caidwell at (202) 512-9610 or caldwells @gao.gov. COAST GUARD Status of Deepwater Fast Response Cutter Design Efforts What GAO Found The Deepwater system integrator, Integrated Coast Guard Systems, decided to use composite materials for the FRC's hull because, according to contractor analyses, use of such materials instead of steel generally offers several advantages, including lower maintenance and life cycle costs, a longer service life, and reduced weight. Other potential advantages, according to the Office of Naval Research, include corrosion prevention and decreased damage from impacts. The current FRC design calls for the use of two types of composite materials: (1) a solid laminate form to be used for the hull and (2) a sandwich form which is to be used on decks and bulkheads. Composite materials are not commonly used for vessels with comparable naval operations and have not been used on any prior Coast Guard vessels. The Coast Guard does not have a formal, documented contingency plan should the FRC fail to meet performance requirements. However, Coast Guard officials said it plans to pursue certain mitigation strategies, such as repairing deteriorated hull structures and replacing obsolete or unsupportable equipment and systems, to keep the current patrol boats operating longer. The Coast Guard suspended FRC design work in late February 2006 because of design risks, such as excessive weight and horsepower requirements. To address these and other risks, the Coast Guard is pursuing three strategies. The first strategy involves the system integrator purchasing design plans for and building an off-the-shelf patrol boat that could be adapted for Coast Guard use as a way to increase patrol hours until the FRC design is finalized. The first of these replacement patrol boats is to be operational in late 2009. The second strategy is to revise the necessary capabilities of the FRC in order to allow for modifications to the current FRC design. The third strategy is to have a third party reassess the analyses used in the decision to use composite materials for the FRC to determine if the use of composite materials will, in fact, reduce total ownership costs. One of the Current Patrol Boats to Be Replaced by a Fast Response Cutter Source: Courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard. .United States Government Accountability Office

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