U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin announced today that Bath Iron Works (BIW) has been awarded four ships, in the amount of $3,904,735,559, over the next five years pursuant to the Navy’s multiyear procurement contract. The contract includes potential options for additional ships, including one that will be awarded in fiscal year 2019. U.S. Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer called Senators Collins and King and Representative Pingree today to inform them of the award.
“We are proud of the hardworking and highly skilled men and women at Bath Iron Works who have earned the reputation that ‘Bath built is best built,’” said Senators Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Poliquin in a joint statement. “The award of these four ships over the next five years, including the potential for additional ships, demonstrates the Navy’s recognition of the high-quality destroyers BIW produces that are critical to our national security. At a time when threats to our nation are increasing, we will continue to push for an aggressive rate of growth for large surface combatants to ensure our nation’s sailors have the resources they need to carry out their national security missions.”
The delegation will work to help ensure that Congress provides the necessary funding and statutory authority for the Navy to procure ten DDG-51’s and all possible option ships over the next five years.
Senator Collins is a senior member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator King is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Representative Pingree is a member of the House Appropriations Committee. Earlier this month, Senators Collins and King both advocated for the passage of the Fiscal Year 2019 Defense Appropriations bill, which included funding for three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in fiscal year 2019, while also including $250 million in advanced procurement funding for an additional destroyer in fiscal year 2020. The legislation passed the Senate and House and is headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
