BATH IRON WORKS AND NAVY SIGN NEARLY $2 BILLION CONTRACT FOR SECOND AND THIRD DDG-1000; SENATOR COLLINS FOUGHT TO SECURE FUNDS, PROTECT JOBS AT BIW

             U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of both the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, today announced that Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy, called to inform her that the Navy and General Dynamics, parent company of Bath Iron Works (BIW) have signed the final construction contracts, totaling up to $2 billion, for the construction of the second and third DDG-1000 that will be built in Bath.  The announcement comes one day after the Senate Appropriations Committee provided $453.7 million to fund the President’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2012 for the DDG-1000 program.               "Bath Iron Works has set the standard for producing high quality ships for the Navy at the best value.  These contracts are key to maintaining the skilled workforce at BIW while meeting the requirements of the Navy,” said Senator Collins.  “My goal has always been to help ensure a steady workflow at BIW and maintain a strong industrial base for shipbuilding.  That is why I fought so hard to protect the funding to date for all three DDG-1000 ships.  I am confident that BIW will continue to prove that not only is “Bath built, best built,” but also that it can continue to deliver them on time and on budget.”               Senator Collins has always been a stalwart supporter of BIW and has fought to secure appropriate funding for the DDG-1000 program.  For many months, she has actively worked to encourage the Navy to finalize these contracts in an effort to help protect jobs at the shipyard and to move the Navy closer to its goal of a 313-ship fleet.  Yet for many months, negotiations between the Navy and General Dynamics were at a standstill, jeopardizing this work.  Senator Collins repeatedly urged the Navy to complete the negotiations and conclude the contracts.  On July 26, the Navy and BIW announced an agreement in principle.  Today’s action represents the signing of the legal contracts.               The DDG-1000 Zumwalt class of ships represents the Navy’s next generation of multi-mission surface combatants with capabilities tailored for land attack and littoral dominance that can defeat current and projected threats.  According to the U.S. Navy, DDG-1000 has a 50-fold radar cross section reduction compared to current destroyers and has 10 times the operating area in shallow water regions. The DDG-1000 also can operate with a significantly smaller crew, saving money in personnel costs.            Background:    From 2002 through 2008, Senator Collins was the only delegation member to represent Maine on an Armed Services Committee.  All three DDG-1000 ships were authorized in FY2007 and FY2009.  Funding for the ships has previously been provided in FY2007 – FY2011, during which time Senator Collins had to fight attempts by defense committees in the House to significantly reduce funding for the DDG-1000 program.    In FY2005, $84 million was added to the Navy’s shipbuilding budget as a result of Senator Collins’ efforts for design and advanced procurement of the DD(X) at BIW.   Today, Senator Collins is the only member of the Maine delegation to serve on two congressional defense committees – the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee.  In this capacity, she has repeatedly urged Administration and Pentagon officials to reach an agreement with BIW on all three DDG-1000 ships, convening key meetings.  In February, Senator Collins brought Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations, to BIW to view the progress on the first DDG-1000.  During hearings and in personal meetings with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisitions, Technology, and Logistics) Ashton Carter, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, and Assistant Secretary Sean Stackley, she has emphasized the importance of BIW to the nation’s shipbuilding industrial base.    ###