The ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee was in Groton Monday for what he called his "first real comprehensive look" at the submarine fleet.
U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., said the visit to Electric Boat and the Naval Submarine Base reaffirmed his support and solidified his understanding of how submarines are built and operated.
"I think it puts me in a better position to make the case to others as well," Smith said at EB after his tour finished.
The Navy recently awarded Electric Boat $1.2 billion to build a second submarine this year, funding that had been held up during the prolonged federal budget debates. This award marks the start of the production increase for the Virginia-class program.
Even as economic pressures force Congress to look for spending cuts, Smith said he supports sustaining the two-per-year rate since it saves money in the long run. The shipyard can order parts in bulk and use its work force more efficiently.
Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said he invited Smith to Groton so his colleague could see the synergy between the base and the shipbuilder in person and the "amazing work" done at both sites.
The congressmen visited the training simulators at the base and saw the construction at the facility. Smith said he has been to a lot of bases and the amount of activity in Groton was "definitely in the high end."
Smith said he does not foresee another base-closure process, such as the 2005 round where the base was almost closed.
"I think we've made our decisions. This is where we build our submarines," Smith said. "And the synergy between the base and EB is critical to that."
At EB, Smith was briefed on the company's employment outlook and projects. EB notified the state Department of Labor Friday that it would lay off 59 employees Aug. 5. The company does not have enough work for these carpenters and machinists, according to EB spokesman Robert Hamilton, who also said that "overall the employment outlook remains very stable."
Smith said it was important to maintain the work force during dips in the workload over the next five or six years so the company's capabilities would not diminish. He said he was told about one of the company's strategies, sending EB employees to the public shipyards to work on projects there.
He also learned about a concept EB is working on to add missile tubes to Virginia-class submarines to boost firepower. Smith said he wants to hear more about the idea before deciding whether he supports it, but that overall, submarines will be "critical to our national security interests for a long time to come."
U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., said the visit to Electric Boat and the Naval Submarine Base reaffirmed his support and solidified his understanding of how submarines are built and operated.
"I think it puts me in a better position to make the case to others as well," Smith said at EB after his tour finished.
The Navy recently awarded Electric Boat $1.2 billion to build a second submarine this year, funding that had been held up during the prolonged federal budget debates. This award marks the start of the production increase for the Virginia-class program.
Even as economic pressures force Congress to look for spending cuts, Smith said he supports sustaining the two-per-year rate since it saves money in the long run. The shipyard can order parts in bulk and use its work force more efficiently.
Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said he invited Smith to Groton so his colleague could see the synergy between the base and the shipbuilder in person and the "amazing work" done at both sites.
The congressmen visited the training simulators at the base and saw the construction at the facility. Smith said he has been to a lot of bases and the amount of activity in Groton was "definitely in the high end."
Smith said he does not foresee another base-closure process, such as the 2005 round where the base was almost closed.
"I think we've made our decisions. This is where we build our submarines," Smith said. "And the synergy between the base and EB is critical to that."
At EB, Smith was briefed on the company's employment outlook and projects. EB notified the state Department of Labor Friday that it would lay off 59 employees Aug. 5. The company does not have enough work for these carpenters and machinists, according to EB spokesman Robert Hamilton, who also said that "overall the employment outlook remains very stable."
Smith said it was important to maintain the work force during dips in the workload over the next five or six years so the company's capabilities would not diminish. He said he was told about one of the company's strategies, sending EB employees to the public shipyards to work on projects there.
He also learned about a concept EB is working on to add missile tubes to Virginia-class submarines to boost firepower. Smith said he wants to hear more about the idea before deciding whether he supports it, but that overall, submarines will be "critical to our national security interests for a long time to come."
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