Navy to seek third DDG-1000

[unhappycamper]

Navy to seek third DDG-1000
By Jerry Harkavy - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Aug 19, 2008 7:02:38 EDT

PORTLAND, Maine — The Navy has changed course and decided to push for construction of a third DDG-1000 destroyer that would be built at Bath Iron Works, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Naturally) said Monday.

The Maine Republican said Navy Secretary Donald Winter informed her of the decision that comes one month after the Navy said it was scrapping the Zumwalt destroyer program once the first two are built. The Navy said at the time that it was opting instead to build more of the current-generation DDG-51, or Arleigh Burke, destroyers.

Collins quoted Winter as saying that in addition to seeking another DDG-1000, the Navy plans to reprogram some funding to purchase spare parts for DDG-51s that could also be used to restart production of that class of ships.

“This is great news for Bath Iron Works,” she said in a telephone interview. “It means that the third ship is very likely to go forward, and yet there’s also the potential of building more DDG-51s.”

In a letter to Collins, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England indicated that the shift in the Navy’s thinking was due in part to concerns about a potential disruption in the nation’s shipbuilding base.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/08/ap_ddg_1000_081808/



uhc comment: We already have two of these $5.3 billion+ wizz-bang toys. Methinks Susan is scrambling for votes.