Shipbuilding funds added to budget

[unhappycamper]

Shipyard personnel work to build the Virginia-class submarine North Carolina in 2006. An amendment added to the 2009 defense authorization bill on May 14 adds money for two more Virginia-class attack submarines.


Shipbuilding funds added to budget
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday May 15, 2008 6:11:09 EDT

The House Armed Services Committee took several steps Wednesday to improve Navy capabilities, adding an extra amphibious ship, making down payments on two Virginia-class attack submarines and creating the possibility of buying more F/A-18 Super Hornet jets to fill the so-called “fighter gap.”

The committee also opened the door for the Navy to buy more Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, even as the ship class nears the end of its run, by pushing back funding for a third DDG 1000-class destroyer.

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Lemon Chicken) of California, the former chairman and now ranking Republican member of the committee, was the chief sponsor of an amendment to the 2009 defense authorization bill that put in more money for attack submarines, something he said was needed because of complaints that there were more missions than subs.

“The number of attack boats will be less than 40 unless we do something,” Hunter said, noting Navy officials have warned that, at times, as many as 40 percent of attack submarine missions aren’t being done.

Hunter’s amendment, adopted by voice vote, puts advanced procurement funding for two Virginia-class attack submarines into the budget. One would be built in 2010 and the second in 2011. The budget request sent to Congress earlier this year included funding for only one Virginia.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/05/navy_seapower_051408/



uhc comment: I've got to do some more digging. I was under the impression that a Virginia-class submarine cost $2,500,000,000, but I heard/saw a $30,000,000,000 price tag over the last few days.