Defense dollars earmarked for Kittery to Presque Isle (and in between)
File Photo / Tim Greenway
The U.S. Senate approved 2018 National Defense Authorization Act with funding for projects involving key Maine companies, including Bath Iron Works.
U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, announced Tuesday that the U.S. Senate passed the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act with funding for projects involving key Maine companies. The bill, which was approved with a vote of 89-8, now heads to conference committee to reconcile differences with the version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives.
Defense spending that will directly benefit Maine includes:
New facility at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard: The legislation authorizes $61.69 million for the construction of a paint, blast, and rubber facility at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery. King stated in the news release that he also supported an amendment authored by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., that calls for a study on dry dock capacity to identify and support the shipyard infrastructure needs at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
The legislation also directs the Secretary of the Navy to submit a report detailing an engineering master plan and investment strategy for modernizing the Navy’s public shipyards, like Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. This report will require a review of the infrastructure, facilities, and major equipment at public shipyards and will result in a new modernization and investment strategy to ensure that public shipyards are able to fulfill their mission.
New National Guard Center in Presque Isle: The legislation authorizes $17.5 million for the construction of a new National Guard Readiness Center in Presque Isle.
Funding for shipbuilding: The legislation authorizes more than $5.62 billion for Navy destroyer programs, including more than $5 billion for the procurement of three DDG-51 Arleigh Burke destroyers in fiscal year 2018 that Bath Iron Works can compete to build, as well as more than $90.5 million for the continued production of DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers, all of which are being built at Bath.
King also cosponsored an amendment authored by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., in support of the Navy’s Force Structure Assessment requirement for 355-ship battle force fleet. The amendment also requires the Secretary of the Navy to deliver a report to the congressional defense committees which shows a detailed business case analysis for a variety of options with which to reach the 355-ship objective.
Joint strike fighter: The bill authorizes the procurement of 94 F-35 “joint strike fighters” of all three variants. Several Maine-based companies, including Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick and General Dynamics in Saco, are in the supply and production chain for this fifth-generation fighter.
Long-range strike bomber: The bill authorizes more than $2 billion for research, development, testing and evaluation of the long-range stealth bomber, B-21, which will be a central pillar of our national security strategy to deal with future threats. Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick will be the engine supplier for the B-21.
CH-53K helicopter: The bill authorizes more than $848 million to procure six CH-53K helicopters. Hunting Dearborn in Fryeburg manufactures the rotor shaft for this helicopter.
No new BRAC round: This legislation rejects the president’s call in his fiscal year 2018 budget request for additional base closures under the Base Realignment and Closure process. The last BRAC process occurred in 2005 when a recommendation to close the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was ultimately overturned by the BRAC Commission, but Brunswick Naval Air Station was closed.
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