More Submarines Not On The Way
By Sara Hatch
Washington, March 28 – Representatives of the Department of the Navy matched words Tuesday with members of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Projection Forces over building Virginia-class submarines.
Members of the Connecticut and Rhode Island delegations, where of Electric Boat Corp., one of two companies that manufacture Virginia-class submarines, has facilities, were vocal about doubling production from one to two subs a year before 2012, the Navy’s current target date.
Currently, Electric Boat produces one Virginia-class submarine a year in partnership with Northrop Grumman in Newport News, Va.
Rep. Rob Simmons (R-Conn.) expressed concern over the loss of jobs for approximately 900 ship designers over the course of the year, bringing the total of designers to its “lowest level in the last 50 years,” he said.
Allison Stiller, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for ships, acknowledged the concerns of Simmons and others and said RAND is conducting a study of the design force for the Navy, which will be ready later in the year.
Adm. Charles L. Munns, commander of naval submarine forces, said that while the number of submarines available in the coming years will be fewer than earlier predicted, the Navy feels confident in the reduced number of subs-from the current 53 down to 48 and later to 40 ships-that would be available, even though he acknowledged that there will be risks involved.
The subcommittee members made much of the risk that the Navy would face but did not broach the subject of finding new funds for the Navy in the congressional budget. But they said the subject deserved future discussion in Congress. Just two weeks ago, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) said that while he would like to ramp up the research and development budget, that would be difficult in the current budget climate.
John P. Casey, Electric Boat’s president, said in a statement to the subcommittee that while the company is working to lower costs on its own, it cannot do more without the help of the Navy.
The Navy’s Stiller said earlier that she feels confident the industry base is safe and that “at one a year, they’re still producing for us.”
Doubling production to two ships a year could reduce the cost of each ship from $2.4 billion to $2 billion, the ship builders say.
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