Congress to vote on LCS cuts, fleet additions

[unhappycamper]

Congress to vote on LCS cuts, fleet additions
By Zachary M. Peterson - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Nov 7, 2007 16:49:56 EST

Congressional purse-holders chopped more than a half-billion dollars Tuesday from the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship program, while adding funds for the Virginia-class submarine program and advanced procurement money for another San Antonio-class amphibious ship and additional T-AKE-class dry cargo and ammunition ships.

The decisions were made jointly by the House and Senate appropriations committees for the fiscal 2008 Defense Department appropriations bill. The bill totals $459.3 billion in discretionary spending authority for the Pentagon.

For the sea service, lawmakers slashed $571 million from the LCS program because of cost overruns and production delays for the new class of ship. The Navy preempted this cut last week by canceling the fourth LCS sea frame, LCS 4, which was under contract to General Dynamics.

~snip~

Lawmakers fully funded the Navy’s request for two lead DDG-1000s, the service’s next-generation destroyer, and added $588 million for the Virginia-class submarine program. Funds were also added for the advance procurement of additional T-AKE dry cargo and ammunition ships ($300 million) and advance procurement of another LPD-17 ship ($50 million).

On the aviation side, lawmakers provided the Navy’s full request for 24 F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet aircraft and 18 EA-18G Growler electronics warfare planes. MH-60S and MH-60R Seahawk helicopters were also fully funded, but funding was reduced for five H-1 presidential helicopters due to production delays. Full research and development funds were provided for the Navy’s carrier-based unmanned aerial system, known as UCAS.

~snip~

The $105.3 billion budgeted for overall Defense Department personnel “supports” manpower reduction of 12,300 for active-duty sailors and 3,500 for Navy Reserve sailors.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/11/navy_defense_approps_071107w/