The top four-star leaders of the U.S. Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy heard the first widespread congressional reaction Dec. 13 to their newly unveiled maritime strategy report -- and lawmakers were skeptical across the political aisle.

Members of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), almost to a person, repeated calls for greater and better shipbuilding, but also noted historical acquisition problems there. And they remained apparently unclear -- despite a 16-page multicolor brochure titled "A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower" -- on how the services would better integrate.

"It's a nice, really slick brochure -- at the end of the day, it didn't do so much for our country," HASC seapower and expeditionary forces subcommittee chairman Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) told the chief of naval operations and the commandants of the Coast Guard and Marines.

But the admirals and general -- who requested the hearing to discuss the strategy -- defended the document, asserting that it establishes overarching maritime domain awareness (MDA) philosophy, particularly for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) of the world's oceans, coasts, rivers and ports.

"I believe it sets in motion a level of cooperation," said Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead. Among other benefits, the strategy supposedly will lead to "commonalities" among the sea services that will result in "economical" spending (DAILY, Oct. 18).

But those assertions, which have been touted before, may meet only increased disbelief on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers from both parties have become incensed with dramatic cost growths and schedule slippages in shipbuilding. Headline-grabbing problems earlier this year with the once-heralded Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) have boosted bipartisan criticism, which has not slowed since (DAILY, March 2).

"The Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard don't have a good track record with regard to managing the resources that have been provided," Duncan Hunter (Calif.), the top Republican HASC member, told the service chiefs.

"You're not alone, but that does not excuse the situation we find ourselves in," Hunter continued. "On one hand, we have a critical need for modernization and DOD's planned investment in new systems has doubled from 2001 to today - from around $750 billion to nearly $1.5 trillion. On the other hand, there has been cost escalation on nearly everything, from aircraft to ground vehicles to submarines and, of course, the Littoral Combat Ship."

Hunter specifically pressed Roughead on whether the Navy has made changes -- specifically, additions -- to its shipbuilding and force structure plan due to perceived Chinese naval growth. Roughead answered, in part, that LCS acquisition plans throughout the 30-year plan reflect the need for greater anti-submarine, surface and mine warfare capabilities.

The Navy is redrafting its LCS acquisition plans over the next few years after the respective second hulls from both competing industry teams were cancelled this year. Overall, the armed services are expected to seek billions of dollars more in coming annual budgets for shipbuilding, aircraft and other acquisitions.