Courtney Statement On Navy Submarine Production Capacity Report

NORWICH, CT ---- Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), ranking member of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, responded to a report released today by the Navy on capacity for additional submarine production. The report, which was required through language Courtney included in the House report accompanying the 2017 defense authorization bill, notes that additional production capacity exists to increase construction rates of Virginia-class submarines.

"The Navy's response to the language included in the House 2017 defense authorization report makes clear that increasing submarine production helps fill key capability gaps, lower costs and increase stability in the industrial base," said Courtney. "Since I worked to include the requirement for this report in last year's NDAA, events have continued to show the need to ramp up production not just to sustain the two-a-year rate, but to go further where we can. That's why I pushed on a bipartisan basis in this year's defense bill for an aggressive but realistic plan to ramp up as many as three attack submarines a year in the next block contract. This report clearly shows that increased production is both necessary and achievable. "

As the ranking member of the panel with oversight of Navy shipbuilding, Courtney helped author provisions in the 2018 defense authorization that authorizes the multiyear procurement authority for 13 Virginia-class attack submarines for the next five years at a minimum rate of two submarines per year and provides the Navy with advanced procurement authority to support a three submarine build rate in 2020, 2022, and 2023.

The bill passed committee last week and is expected to be debated on the House floor next week.

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