Navy urged to stay the course on ship repairs

[unhappycamper]

http://www.dailypress.com/news/military/dp-nws-ship-maintenance-letter-20130212,0,2930873.story

Navy urged to stay the course on ship repairs
By Hugh Lessig, [e-mail] | 757-247-7821
February 12, 2013

The Navy should reconsider the proposed cancellation of ship repairs in Hampton Roads and elsewhere or risk starting a chain reaction that will damage future combat readiness, a group of congressmen said Monday.

In a letter to Navy leaders, the group pleaded for the Navy to hold off issuing an order on Feb. 15 to cancel the work. The bipartisan letter was signed by nine House members, including Rep. Scott Rigell, R-Virginia Beach, and Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, D-Newport News.

The Navy last month announced plans to cancel maintenance on 23 ships if Congress can't resolve the budget crisis. Ten ships are based Norfolk and another 10 are in San Diego. The other three are homeported in New London, Conn., Mayport, Fla. and Bremerton, Wash.

Canceling the work would save more than $600 million, the Navy estimates.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

1. They lack the required funds to contract for it

Until that is resolved, by Federal law and the FAR/DFAR they cannot start on it

This is also a poison pill to get the Administration to push something through.

[HooptieWagon]

2. Its a bit misleading.

These aren't necessary repairs that are being cancelled, they are routine maintenence jobs that are being postponed due to funding uncertainty. I doubt that Navy "readiness" will be affected. Worse case scenerio is the delayed maintenence will increase the costs of future maintenence.