Little fanfare for destroyer production

[unhappycamper]

Little fanfare for destroyer production
By David Sharp - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Feb 13, 2009 14:05:51 EST

PORTLAND, Maine — The two shipyards building the Navy’s next-generation destroyer held private ceremonies this week signaling the start of construction, but the future remains cloudy for the stealthy warship that doubled in price long before shipbuilders began bending steel.

Funding has been allocated for the DDG-1000 Zumwalt that’s being built at General Dynamics’ Bath Iron Works in Maine and for a second ship at Northrop Grumman’s shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss.

But funding for a third ship is still in question, and the future is also uncertain for the Navy’s long-term plans for future destroyer purchases vital to keeping the two Navy shipbuilders busy.

Deep cuts to the Navy’s six major shipyards, which employ 54,000 workers, could fly in the face of President Barack Obama’s economic goals. Already, there’s a lobbying effort afoot to spare the Air Force F-22 Raptor program, which supporters say provides 95,000 American jobs.

“It’ll be hard for the Obama administration to ignore the implications of the shipbuilding programs because there’s no clearer connection between jobs and the program than in these shipbuilding (projects),” said Jay Korman, defense analyst at The Avascent Group.


Rest of article about these $5.3 billion (each) wonders at: http://navytimes.com/news/2009/02/ap_destroyer_fanfare_021309/%2e