"All I want is ships as fast as I can get them,” said Rear Adm. Chad Jacoby when asked about maintaining two shipbuilders for the Offshore Patrol Cutter program.
The watchdog found the program's cost has increased 40 percent over the past 10 years, and accumulated a year-and-a-half delay on the first four vessels.
Bollinger's CEO says the deal has strengthened his company's standing in the industrial base, but analysts worry the merger is a bellwether for more consolidation to come - which could impact the Pentagon's shipbuilding plans.
So far, ESG is the only known bidder to file a bid protest against the Coast Guard's decision to award Austal a contract worth potentially $3.33 billion.