Senators press Navy to reverse 1-year delay of submarine work

KITTERY – U.S. senators from Maine and New Hampshire on Tuesday sought a reversal of the Navy’s decision to delay work on the attack submarine USS Annapolis at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

In a letter to Navy Secretary Gordon England, Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine and Bob Smith and Judd Gregg of New Hampshire warned that the one-year delay may compromise the Navy’s readiness while causing a workload imbalance at the Kittery yard.

The senators were advised of the planned delay during a briefing earlier this month.

“Deferring the USS Annapolis will increase the risk that the ship may not be able to provide the Navy with the necessary capabilities to meet its missions,” the senators said in a joint statement.

“Furthermore, the employees of PNS have worked diligently to sustain a high level of performance while meeting the challenges of a shrinking workload,” the statement said.

“They understand that the future of the shipyard is tied to their ability to perform, and they deserve a level playing field as they engage in this effort.”