Conferees approve $11.1 billion for Navy shipbuilding

The House-Senate Conference Report on the FY2005 Defense Appropriations Act provides a total of $11.1 billion for new construction shipbuilding and sealift programs, an increase of $240 million over the budget request.

According to the House Committee on Approprations, the Conference Report fully funds amounts requested for fiscal year 2005 production ships, including one Virginia-class submarine, three DDG-51 destroyers, one LPD-17, and two T-AKEs. 

An additional $150 million is provided for initiation of the LHA-R program, $50 million is provided for modernization of DDG-51s, and $84.4 million is provided in advance procurement funding for construction of the second DD(X).

Regarding future ship development, the Conferees provide $953 million for the next-generation CVN-21 carrier and $457.1 million for the Littoral Combat Ship, an increase of $105 million over the budget request to fully fund construction of the first vessel. 

The conferees also provide $1.4 billion for the DD(X) program, including $221 million of the funds requested for advance procurement of the first DD(X) ship.

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