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Snowe: Navy
Leader Backs DD(X)
By: Matt
Wickenheiser
Sen. Olympia J.
Snowe said she believes the new chief of naval
operations will be a strong advocate for U.S.
shipbuilding, following a meeting with him in
Washington on Thursday.
In particular, Adm. Michael Mullen expressed his
support for the next-generation destroyer
program, the DD(X), which is of vital importance
to the future of Bath Iron Works, said Snowe,
R-Maine. She reiterated to Mullen her support of
having both BIW and Northrop Grumman Ship
Systems' Pascagoula shipyard in Mississippi
working on the DD(X).
"I felt like we were in accord about the future
of the Navy and how essential it is to have a
strong shipbuilding account and equally a strong
industrial base," said Snowe, who met with the
new top Navy officer for about 25 minutes.
The Pentagon is eyeing program cuts of up to $15
billion in the fiscal year 2007 budget, and the
DD(X) initiative has been mentioned as a target
in numerous media reports. The Pentagon,
politicians and even Navy officials have
expressed concern about the $3.3 billion price
of the first ship, and the expected $2.3 billion
cost for follow-on ships.
Mullen has emerged as naval shipbuilding's
champion against future cuts, and Snowe said she
believed that characterization of him to be apt.
"He certainly represents that kind of leadership
needed for the kind of Navy we all desire, and
remains committed to Bath Iron Works and to
Ingalls and to having that strong industrial
base," said Snowe. "I think that has been sorely
lacking over the last few years without
question. It has eroded our resources. Because
we have not had a forcible advocate, other
forces in the Pentagon have used (the
shipbuilding) account for their purposes.
"It's clear the shipbuilding account and the
Navy have been used as a means to closing the
gap in other parts of the Pentagon's budget."
Late last month, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine,
described Mullen as a stronger supporter of the
DD(X) than his predecessor, Adm. Vernon Clark.
In mid-October, Mullen told reporters that the
four ships proposed in this year's budget were
as low as the country has been "and I'm not
anxious to stay there." He minimized the cost of
the DD(X) by saying that a DDG-51, the current
generation of destroyer, built in the 1990s
would cost $2.7 billion today.
"I'm very supportive of the program," Mullen
said at the time. "It meets important
war-fighting requirements. It will revolutionize
us in many ways in the future and . . . I'm
obviously anxious to see how it comes out on the
Hill."
Snowe said Mullen recognizes the need for more
money for shipbuilding, and supports the idea of
having a separate account for those funds, to
"fence it off." That approach has been pushed by
Sen. John Warner, R-Va., chairman of the Senate
Armed Services Committee.
Mullen also supports the current Senate budget
proposal over the House proposal, Snowe said.
The Senate proposal fully funds DD(X) program
for the next year at $1.8 billion. The House, on
the other hand, approved a shipbuilding budget
that deleted $1 billion from the DD(X) program
and instead steered $1.4 billion for a new
DDG-51 destroyer and $440 million for two
Littoral Combat Ships.
Commander John Kirby, a spokesman for the chief
of naval operations office, said he couldn't
discuss the specifics of the conversation
between his boss and Snowe.
"Adm. Mullen did pay a courtesy call to Sen.
Snowe this week, as he's been paying several
courtesy calls. He greatly appreciated the time
that she afforded him," said Kirby. "It was a
very cordial meeting, and the admiral listened
to and was receptive to the senator's concerns."
Snowe said Mullen, who became the 28th chief of
naval operations on July 22, comes at a key time
for the Navy.
The Quadrennial Defense Review, which is an
assessment of the overall military, is set to
come out by the end of the year, and Mullen and
other Navy officials are set to meet with
Pentagon leaders next week to discuss the future
of the DD(X) program, in particular.
The DD(X) program is critical to the future of
BIW, which only makes naval destroyers. About
5,200 people work at BIW, and the yard is one of
Maine's largest employers.
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