Floating Base to Submarines Idled by U.S. Budget Impasse

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Bloomberg News

Floating Base to Submarines Idled by U.S. Budget Impasse
By Jonathan D. Salant - Dec 2, 2013 11:00 PM CT

The Navy wants to buy a ship that serves as a floating base, an asset when allies won’t welcome U.S. troops on their turf or a natural disaster prevents operations ashore.

General Dynamics Corp. (GD) and its San Diego shipyard are waiting for the contract. It won’t come until Congress approves a budget with more than $560 million in funding for the project -- and that isn’t likely to happen anytime soon.

Billions of dollars in helicopter to submarine construction are in limbo because lawmakers have failed to pass a budget for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. As long as the Pentagon operates under a temporary spending bill, it can’t start new programs or boost production levels.

The paralysis has slowed the military’s investments in national-security priorities and delayed work to contractors whose sales and staffs already are shrinking due to federal spending reductions. The companies may be forced to cut more jobs if Congress doesn’t pass a budget.


Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-03/floating-base-to-submarines-idled-by-u-s-budget-impasse.html

[Historic NY]

1. Wasn't that the same scam used to build more carriers (of all types).

they can be floating bases

[Xipe Totec]

2. Tools of empire

A ship like that would not last five minutes in a shooting war with Russia, China, or even North Korea. But it could certainly project power into the Middle East, Latin America, or South East Asia; against small unsophisticated defending forces in our imperial back yard.

[Jerry442]

3. Against an adversary with even a couple of diesel subs...

...they might as well just paint a giant target on the side.

[L0oniX]

4. Vulnerable to an Amazon delivery drone.

[Ace Acme]

6. Yes, but what a great chip on the shoulder for a bully to swagger around with

... daring anyone to knock it off.

And even if no one does, the military can blow it up themselves and pretend they were attacked.

These boys don't deserve their toys, and the welfare queens who build the toys should get real jobs that make the world a better place.

[sakabatou]

5. Well that's a huge waste of money

[Blue_Tires]

7. Which is why the contractors are pushing so hard for it...

[pscot]

9. Like pounding sand

down a rathole.

[sakabatou]

10. However, pounding sand in a bowl/box does help

Builds up hand/knuckle strength.

[underpants]

8. I am sick of this nonsense- just build the Death Star already!

We can still waste plenty of money on the "ewok problem"

[grantcart]

11. A Maginot Island. Well that's progress of a kind.