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Marine Log

April 28, 2006

House panel completes FY 2007 Navy shipbuilding mark up

The Projection Forces Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee has completed its mark up of H.R. 5122, the National Defense Authorization Act for F Y 2007.

It includes $2.6 billion for the DD(X) destroyer--an about face on the panel's move last year to cut funding for the DD(X) and to impose a cap of $1.7 billion on the cost of each destroyer. However, the panel clearly has shipbuilding cost control on its agenda.It has included legislative initiatives to hold the Navy to its cost estimates for the CVN-21, LHA(R) and LPD-17.

Overall, the subcommittee mark up adds $1.3 billion to the Administration's $30.7 billion dollar request.

Initiatives that support the Administration's budget submission include:

  • $784 million for advance procurement for CVN-78,

  • $2.5 billion for procurement of one Virginia Class submarine,

  • $521 million for procurement of two Littoral Combat Ships

  • $455 million for procurement of one T-AKE, and

  • $1.1 billion as the first increment of funding for LHA-6.

    • The mark also includes several additional procurement initiatives that are outside of the Administration's budget. They include:

  • $400 million in advance procurement funding for an additional Virginia class submarine to be procured in FY 2009

  • $200 million to accelerate the modernization program for the DDG-51 class destroyers

  • $66.8 million to buy out the lease for an additional Maritime Prepositioning ship

    • The mark, according to Chairman Roscoe Bartlett, "also includes legislative initiatives to contain shipbuilding costs by holding the Navy to their cost estimates on CVN-21, LHA(R) and LPD-17. These provisions support the Chief of Naval Operations' shipbuilding plan which he can only hope to afford by keeping these programs within Navy cost estimates."

    The mark also provides the President's request of $2.6 billion dollars for the next generation destroyer (DD(X)) program. It authorizes the procurement of one ship, but also authorizes the Secretary of the Navy to enter into detail design contracts with two shipyards, allowing both efforts to move forward.

    The mark also includes provisions regarding force structure that include mandating a minimum attack submarine force of 48 submarines.

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