Littoral Combat Ship
Active (Decommissioning)Surface Ship · Navy · Lockheed Martin/Austal
Small surface combatant intended for near-shore operations. Widely considered a failed program.
Total Cost
$30B
Unit Cost
$0.5B per unit
Cost Overrun
+125%
Development
6 years
Planned Units
35
Delivered
31
Start Year
2002
IOC Year
2008
Delivery Progress89% (31 / 35)
Key Details
Navy began early retirement of LCS ships as young as 4 years old. Anti-submarine module never worked. Called "Little Crappy Ship" by critics.
💸 Taxpayer Alert: 125% Over Budget
The Littoral Combat Ship program has exceeded its original budget by 125%. At $30B, this represents billions in cost growth that could have funded schools, healthcare, or infrastructure. This is a pattern across Pentagon weapons programs — the military-industrial complex has little incentive to control costs.
Why Does This Keep Happening? →What Else Could $30B Buy?
🏫 2,000 new public schools
🏥 60 community hospitals
🎓 857,143 four-year college scholarships
🌉 100 bridge replacements