The Navy’s Very Expensive Mistake

<p>Amid growing threats from rivals like China, the United States military is determined to invest in new forms of defense and abandon those that no longer meet its needs.</p><p>On that list: a combat ship rife with flaws. But getting rid of the ship has proved unexpectedly difficult.</p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/eric-lipton?smid=pc-thedaily">Eric Lipton</a>, an investigative reporter for The New York Times.</p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>After years of crippling problems and a changing mission, the Navy pushed to retire nine of its newest ships. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/04/us/politics/littoral-combat-ships-lobbying.html?smid=pc-thedaily">Then the lobbying started</a>.</li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p>