Hartford Courant: Two Submarines A Year

A healthy submarine industry in Connecticut is good for the state's economy and the nation's defense. Both will benefit from President Bush's signature this week on the defense appropriations bill, which includes funding to double the number of attack submarines built every year to two.

Considering that the Pentagon had tried (and failed) only two years ago to close the Groton submarine base, expanding the submarine program represents quite a victory for the state's congressional delegation.

Give much of the credit to Rep. Joe Courtney, whose district includes the Groton submarine base and who inserted the $588 million request in the bill. Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, the chairman of the House defense appropriations subcommittee, has stood in Connecticut's corner. He passed the bill with Mr. Courtney's request intact.

The $588 million amounts to about 25 percent of what it will cost to build the first of the two-a-year submarines by about 2010.

Most of that money will go to purchase the reactor, engine and propulsion parts of the submarine. But about $70 million of it will pay for parts that are manufactured at Electric Boat in Groton.

In subsequent years, more of the money will be directed to Electric Boat, which will thus preserve its highly skilled work force.

The submarine fleet, considered a crucial component of the nation's military forces, will be able to maintain a competitive edge over those of Russia and China and others.

After a rough two years, Connecticut can boast that it is back in the saddle of the submarine-building business.

Hartford Courant, Editorial, 11/16/07