WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has successfully secured $9.6 million for the military construction of a new Drydock Waterfront Support Facility at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery. The project is included in the 2007 Defense Authorization bill that was approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee. The new facility will replace the current submarine support facility that is more than 60 years old and poorly designed for its current use.
“I am pleased to be able to secure this important military construction funding to provide a state-of-the-art waterfront support facility at the Kittery-Portsmouth Naval Shipyard,” said Senator Collins. “The new layout of the workspace will minimize duplication of industrial equipment and other functions and will help the yard’s talented and dedicated workforce continue to increase its efficiency and productivity—practices that make Kittery the Navy’s low cost provider for submarine maintenance.”
The new Drydock #3 Waterfront Support Facility will consist of a 36,000 square foot, two-story steel-framed facility and a renovated 7,200 square foot high bay to support nuclear submarines, including the newest Virginia class submarine.
The 2007 Defense Authorization bill must now be approved by the full Senate.