I wasnt a surface guy but I can see your point with that program. An example of the govt wanting too many missions covered by a low cost solution. Arguably for some missions it has a limited place, but so did the Pegasus hydrofoil. For the needs of the US and the idea of our defensive posture being one where we take the fight overseas rather than let it come to our shores, LCS was never going to fill much of that role. Its not a great ocean going platform and it doesnt pack much. So you can definitely blame that one on pencil neck budgeteers trying to define how the warfighter does his job. If I recall that wasnt sole source, but I dont know if you are saying it was or if this is a digression.
It wasn’t technically sole source, but it might as well have been. Instead of making the options compete to determine which was best, they simply bought both options without much critical thought.