Unsatisfactory

Here comes the Cobra Judy replacement...

The Howard O. Lorenzen (T-AGM 25), built by VT Halter Marine at Moss Point, Miss., is a 12,000-ton, 534-foot-long ship intended to carry the Cobra Judy Replacement (CJR) radar, a key sensor used in treaty monitoring and verification for ballistic missile issues. The ship and the new radar are needed to replace the original 1970s-era Cobra Judy system, now becoming unsustainable and scheduled for decommissioning next year.

Oops, maybe not yet.

The Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey, known as INSURV, conducted the Lorenzen's acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico during the week of May 9, according to the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Washington. INSURV's role is to carry out meticulous inspections and tests of the ship and its systems and recommend whether or not the Navy should take delivery.

The trial "was reported as unsatisfactory" by INSURV, NAVSEA said in a statement. The failed grade was due to three major discrepancies - thrust bearing temperature, and steering and anchor demonstrations. Three of 15 graded areas - electrical, damage control and aviation - were also graded unsatisfactory.

INSURV recommended that acceptance not take place until the systems "can be fully re-demonstrated."

The timing is noteworthy, it comes the day after the Navy goes up to the Senate to talk about how much better everything is getting in shipbuilding. I'm not saying this is a big deal, but it doesn't look good when the announcement is the day after the testimony.

The SAR for the Cobra Judy Replacement program lists the cost at $1,714.2 million in then-year dollars funded through the Navy's RDT&E account. The December 2010 SAR for the program shows the actual and programmed funding in that account as follows:

FY Millions of then-year dollars

FY03 101.0
FY04 126.0
FY05 175.1
FY06 236.8
FY07 263.2
FY08 267.8
FY09 243.8
FY10 115.8
FY11 71.0
FY12 80.6
FY13 33.1

Total 1,714.2

On a dollar per ton basis, Cobra Judy is the most expensive non-combat vessel operated by the Maritime Sealift Command.