Shipbuilding lobby raises concerns over Navy cuts

[girl gone mad]

Too late for LBN, so I'm posting it here.

Shipbuilding lobby raises concerns over Navy cuts
By DALE EISMAN AND ALLISON CONNOLLY, The Virginian-Pilot
© September 2, 2004

WASHINGTON — The Navy’s tightening budgets are strangling shipbuilders and could trigger the loss of thousands of jobs and a dangerous decline in U.S. naval power, the industry’s top lobby group warned Wednesday.

The American Shipbuilding Association said its members are forecasting multi-million dollar losses and layoffs of as many as one-third of their workers if the service presses ahead with reported plans to build only four new ships in 2006.

The Navy expects to build nine new ships in 2005, up from seven this year but still not enough to maintain the 300-ship fleet called for in the Bush administration’s long-range defense plan.

The service apparently plans to ask for only four ships in 2006, as it ends production of its Arleigh Burke class of destroyers and prepares to begin building the new DDX destroyer in 2007.

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