Subcommittee decides not to buy more Navy DDG-51 destroyers

The House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Wednesday rejected the Navy's new plan to revive production of its DDG-51 Arleigh Burke destroyer next year, but also fell short of backing the more expensive DDG-1000 model service leaders are now hoping to cancel.

During its brief closed-door markup, the panel approved a $487.7 billion fiscal 2009 Defense spending bill -- $4 billion below the Pentagon's request -- that cuts $2.5 billion sought by the Pentagon to buy a third DDG-1000.

But the subcommittee approved $450 million for advanced procurement funding of the DDG-1000.

In a surprise move last week, the Navy told lawmakers it now wants to end production of the DDG-1000 after the first two ships are built and instead buy nine of the older and less expensive DDG-51s between fiscal 2009 and fiscal 2015.

Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman John Murtha, D-Pa., cited billions of dollars already invested in the DDG-1000 program -- as well as the costs of shutting down the production line at two shipyards, which he estimates at $600 million -- as reasons why his mark did not support the Navy's latest destroyer plan.

The Defense Department, Murtha added, would have to be "very convincing" to change his mind. "In conference [with Senate appropriators], we may decide to make a change, but I doubt it," he said.

Instead of pumping money into destroyer production lines, the panel opted to boost other shipbuilding projects, including an additional $1.6 billion for an LPD-17 amphibious warfare ship, $941 million to buy two T-AKE auxiliary dry cargo dock carriers and $397.6 million for long-lead items for the Virginia class submarine program.

Meanwhile, the panel approved language directing the Pentagon to consider "industrial base concerns" as it rebids a lucrative contract for aerial refueling tankers, according to a summary of the bill released by the panel. The bill also directs Pentagon officials to fully comply with recommendations in a Government Accountability Office report, which faulted the Air Force's most recent selection process and prompted Defense Secretary Robert Gates to reopen competition for the contract earlier this month.

Losing bidder Boeing Co. filed a protest with GAO after the Air Force's Feb. 29 decision to award the $35 billion procurement contract to a team led by Northrop Grumman Corp. and EADS, the European parent company of Airbus. Despite the panel's concerns with the new competition, the bill fully funds the Bush administration's $893 million request for the tanker program.

Also Wednesday, the panel increased the $3.6 billion request for the Army's Future Combat Systems by $33 million to accelerate development of unmanned air and ground vehicles. It also agreed to provide an additional $1 billion for National Guard and Reserve equipment.

In addition, the appropriators agreed to fully fund a request for 20 F-22 Raptor fighter jets and added $523 million for advanced procurement for another 20 Raptors. It cut $212 million from the request for the next-generation presidential helicopter because of "uncertainties" surrounding the program and $166 million from the Army's Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter program due to hefty cost overruns and schedule delays.

The bill also provides a 3.9 percent military pay raise -- 0.5 percent above the request.