October 22, 2008
Good news for Aircraft Carriers – But work still ahead for next year
The good work of ACIBC continues to result in successes for our nation's aircraft carrier programs. In recent weeks the Congress has passed, and the President has signed, both the FY2009 Defense Appropriations Act and the FY2009 National Defense Authorization Act. Those two pieces of legislation include both the funding and the necessary authorization language to ensure the nation's aircraft carrier programs continue on schedule.
The FY2009 Defense Appropriations Act includes the 2nd year funding for the construction of the Gerald Ford, CVN 78 as well as Advance Procurement for CVN 79, still scheduled for procurement in FY2012. Importantly, it also includes the 1st year of funding for the Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, CVN 71. That ship is now scheduled for arrival at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in late August, 2009.
Of critical importance to the CVN 71 RCOH was language included in this year's National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes RCOH commencement in FY2009. This language was necessary because the original Navy Plan of Record was to begin RCOH in FY2010. Earlier arrival was a win-win for the both NGSB and the Navy as it improves the Navy's Operational Availability for its carrier fleet and allows the shipyard to better transition its workforce onto the effort.
This has been a great year for aircraft carriers, but even since we gathered last Spring the pressures not only on the Defense budget, but on the federal budget as a whole, have greatly increased. Consider that the recent $700 billion bailout package, also signed by the President in the past few weeks, basically equals the cost of another Defense Appropriation (including the War Supplemental). Add to that the uncertainty in the economy right now, and the presence of a new administration, with new, as of yet unknown defense priorities, and one can see the continued need for the ACIBC.
Your role as the supplier base for aircraft carrier programs is critical. The ability to illustrate to your Member of Congress and Senators the connection between continued funding for a strong carrier program and the jobs in their districts that your company provides is crucial to maintaining support for our programs. As a result of the upcoming elections we will need to build new friendships and forge new relationships in both the Senate and House of Representatives in order to be successful. In any case, we must continue to engage and educate our elected representatives whenever possible.
Thank you for your continued support.
Best regards,
| Rick Giannini Co-Chair, ACIBC President & CEO Milwaukee Valve Company |
Darrell Grow Co-Chair, ACIBC Chief Operating Officer Ammcon Corporation |