Building two subs a year at EB took a concerted effort
Late last month, the U.S. House of Representatives took an historic step forward for America's submarine force. We authorized the production of two Virginia-class submarines next year and for the foreseeable future. In eastern Connecticut, that means jobs and innovation will grow, new technology will be created, and that the Congress, president, and secretary of Defense have reaffirmed the national security value of submarines.
Four years ago, the Virginia-class program and Electric Boat's future were unclear. Pentagon budgets only funded one submarine annually, dating back to the late 1980s, and although production was scheduled to double in 2002, that plan was postponed repeatedly.
It wasn't for lack of effort. My predecessor in Congress, Rob Simmons, worked diligently to procure more subs. Despite his efforts, there were roadblocks and disappointments. In fact, President Bush's 2008 budget sought to make one submarine annually the new norm. That decision would have had dire consequences not just for the region and local jobs, but nationally as well.
That was the political landscape in Washington when I arrived in January 2007. The process was broken in our nation's capital. Turf wars and politics were getting in the way of strengthening national defense; and Electric Boat and Connecticut jobs were on the line. I met with officials and workers at EB right away, and learned how dismal the outlook was. In 2005, a 50-percent reduction in work force was projected if submarine production remained stagnant.
As a freshman congressman, I sought the counsel of senior congressional leaders including Rep. Gene Taylor of Mississippi, chairman of the Seapower Subcommittee, and the late Rep. John Murtha, then chairman of the defense funding subcommittee. They said they would try to help, but that to prevail, I needed to make the clear and compelling case that investing in submarines was the right decision for our nation.
Two months after joining the House Armed Services Committee, I invited Electric Boat President John Casey to testify in Washington. Along with representatives of the Metal Trades Council and Marine Draftsmen Association, Casey assured committee leaders that EB was ready to increase production while maintaining the quality the Navy had come to expect from them. The Virginia-class submarine program has long been heralded for delivering its product on time and on budget, and Casey vowed to continue that trend even if production were doubled.
At the same time, it became easier to stress the growing need for additional subs when we contrasted our own production to what was happening in places like China, where they were producing five submarines annually. Our fleet was aging and shrinking, and no sense of urgency existed. There was no rush to close what might eventually have been a massive gap in power and technology.
With help and guidance from Murtha and Taylor, in my first year in Congress, I secured $588 million to increase submarine production to two-a-year beginning in 2011. That investment survived repeated attempts by the Bush administration to strip the funding. As a result, two Virginia-class submarines are set to be produced in each of the next three years, and significant investment in the next generation of Ohio-class subs is budgeted.
Today, Electric Boat is poised to provide an employment engine in southeastern Connecticut. Although challenges remain, the company is hiring new engineers and designers - reassuring signs for our region.
This trend is not about parochial interests; it is based on a growing recognition that submarines are an essential part of America's national defense. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates underscored this priority in a recent speech criticizing Pentagon waste.
"We must also rethink what and how we buy to shift investments towards systems that provide the ability to see and strike deep along the full spectrum of conflict," said Gates. "This means, among other things a submarine force with expanded roles that is prepared to conduct more missions deep inside an enemy's battle network. We will also have to increase submarine strike capability and look at smaller and unmanned underwater platforms."
New technology and effective submarines make for a stronger defense. And today it is a given that the U.S. should produce two subs annually. But that consensus did not emerge overnight, and four years ago, the future of Electric Boat and Virginia-class submarines were nowhere near as certain as they are now.
When two submarines are being built next year, they are not just subs. They are also jobs and benefits for employees in Groton and other places across the state that support and supply EB. Submarines are security for families and a boon to eastern Connecticut. They are also a years-long effort, and a reality that four years ago nearly disappeared.
Democrat Joe Courtney is U.S. representative serving Connecticut's 2nd District.