WASHINGTON – Confirmation hearings for Defense Secretary-designate Donald H. Rumsfeld open Thursday with Maine’s outgoing Armed Services Committee member, Olympia J. Snowe, and incoming Armed Services Committee member, Susan M. Collins, both offering support.

Snowe, the state’s senior senator, said she is saddened to see Defense Secretary William S. Cohen leaving Jan. 20, since the former Maine Republican senator was well attuned “to covering the waterfront” on issues important to the state.

“Having the secretary of defense from Maine as a forceful advocate for the issues that were important to the state was good,” Snowe said. “He didn’t need the convincing.”

Snowe met with Rumsfeld last Friday during his good-will tour of Congress to make sure “that Mr. Rumsfeld was aware of some of the issues that were important to us,” shipbuilding in particular.

Snowe has been chairman of the seapower subcommittee and had a special interest in the topic as a result of Bath Iron Works. She said that it is important to sustain a 300 ship Navy and it is “vital to maintain a forward deployed presence” based on modern seapower technology.

Rumsfeld was described as “very receptive,” but, she said, she viewed him as an “Air Force guy,” who may be partial to that branch of the service. Snowe plans on forwarding documentation to Rumsfeld supporting her positions.

The senator said she found Rumsfeld well-informed on military issues, but he obviously needed to be brought up to date on modern technology. Rumsfeld served as Defense Secretary during the Ford administration in the 1970s.

The most critical issue for Maine is the continuation of plans to build a new class of destroyer, labeled the DD-21, a small, fast, powerful, high-tech warship that could extend the U.S. reach beyond its current limits. In addition, because manpower aboard the ship would be reduced from 325 to 95 individuals, there would be vast staffing savings.

“The whole issue of the state of the art of technology in the future is represented by this ship, which will reduce the manning costs and the operational costs,” Snowe said.

There has been some concern that the Bush administration may angle toward other sources of military power, including space technology, but Snowe says she had not heard any serious talk of that from her GOP sources. “When the president becomes aware of the cost savings and the infusion of new technology, I think he’ll be supportive [of the DD-21],” Snowe said.

Commenting on other Cabinet nominees, Snowe said she was not surprised that Linda Chavez withdrew as the labor secretary-designee amid allegations that she had apparently employed an illegal immigrant while failing to fully reveal the details in her background check.

“It was a difficult situation and obviously it wasn’t improving,” Snowe said. In the end, Snowe said, it looked like Chavez “accepted the responsibility.” Liberal organizations are now gunning to cause nomination misery for former Sen. John Ashcroft, R-Mo., who is the nominee for attorney general.

Snowe, who has endorsed Ashcroft, said, “I disagree with John and we’ve had many differences, but that doesn’t mean he could not be an effective attorney general. It’s a question of whether he could enforce the laws of this country effectively. It’s important that he convince the committee. I think he will.”