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NEW COMMENTS BY EB PRESIDENT.
Abstracted from AP article by Matt Apuzzo
Titled "EB president]
The president of submarine builder Electric Boat said Wednesday that he will consider moving more than 1,500 repair jobs out of Connecticut if the submarine base in Groton is closed. If the Base Closure and Realignment Commission approves the closure next week, John P. Casey said it's unlikely the Navy would send submarines to Connecticut for lengthy repairs and upgrades. "I'd have to make a decision to either discontinue that line of work or attempt to uproot and relocate the business to where the work is," Casey said during a conference call with Connecticut politicians Wednesday.
[But shipbuilding to stay in Connecticut and RI.]
Casey said the company likely would keep its shipbuilding operations in Connecticut and Rhode Island even if the base closes because the Navy doesn't buy enough submarines each year to make it sensible to invest in a costly move. Casey estimated that 1,500 to 2,200 Connecticut employees work on submarine repairs.
"If the Navy decides to move the location of the sub force, we as a business have one primary customer and that's the U.S. Navy. We'll do what we have to do to support the Navy," he said. Since the Pentagon announced its intention to close the submarine base this spring, EB officials have been guarded about the company's future plans.
Supporters of the base, including several retired submarine admirals, have repeatedly argued that closing the base will make the U.S. more vulnerable, as countries such as China increase their submarine fleets. Veteran submarines have said that the country should maintain a fleet of 50 or more subs. Some Navy projections predict the force will dwindle into the 30s.
Dodd and U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons, R-Conn., have said that by closing the base, the Pentagon is trying to avoid a congressional debate on the future size of the submarine fleet. With fewer piers available, they say, their fleet must shrink.
Abstracted from AP article by Matt Apuzzo
Titled "EB president]
The president of submarine builder Electric Boat said Wednesday that he will consider moving more than 1,500 repair jobs out of Connecticut if the submarine base in Groton is closed. If the Base Closure and Realignment Commission approves the closure next week, John P. Casey said it's unlikely the Navy would send submarines to Connecticut for lengthy repairs and upgrades. "I'd have to make a decision to either discontinue that line of work or attempt to uproot and relocate the business to where the work is," Casey said during a conference call with Connecticut politicians Wednesday.
[But shipbuilding to stay in Connecticut and RI.]
Casey said the company likely would keep its shipbuilding operations in Connecticut and Rhode Island even if the base closes because the Navy doesn't buy enough submarines each year to make it sensible to invest in a costly move. Casey estimated that 1,500 to 2,200 Connecticut employees work on submarine repairs.
"If the Navy decides to move the location of the sub force, we as a business have one primary customer and that's the U.S. Navy. We'll do what we have to do to support the Navy," he said. Since the Pentagon announced its intention to close the submarine base this spring, EB officials have been guarded about the company's future plans.
Supporters of the base, including several retired submarine admirals, have repeatedly argued that closing the base will make the U.S. more vulnerable, as countries such as China increase their submarine fleets. Veteran submarines have said that the country should maintain a fleet of 50 or more subs. Some Navy projections predict the force will dwindle into the 30s.
Dodd and U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons, R-Conn., have said that by closing the base, the Pentagon is trying to avoid a congressional debate on the future size of the submarine fleet. With fewer piers available, they say, their fleet must shrink.
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