Posted on 07/20/2010 9:40:52 AM PDT by US Navy Vet
NEWPORT NEWS — — Foreign ownership of Northrop Grumman Corp.'s nuclear shipbuilding business "would present significant challenges" for the U.S. Navy, a spokesman said Monday.
Northrop, whose Newport News shipyard is the sole manufacturer and refueler of the Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of two to build nuclear-powered Navy submarines, said last week it is seeking strategic alternatives for its shipbuilding enterprise, which includes selling or spinning off the unit.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailypress.com ...
Thanks “ruling” class!
I believe they also own Ingalls in Pascagoula, which is one of two yards building destroyers and the only one building amphibious ships.
In the past 50 years the US Navy has had to close 3 of it’s front line large shipyards the could do Aircraft Carrier work.
1. Hunter’s Point(San Francisco)(crime, unions)
2. Philly (crime, crappy work)
2. New York(Brooklyn)(unions, liability claims)
Leaves Newport News, Portmouth(Norfolk,VA) and Peuget(sp?) Sound(Seattle area).
ping
As they should be. Time to find an AMERICAN shipbuilder for building US Navy ships!!!
I don't want any foreigners working on our ships and learning their secrets.
The article mentions BAE as a likely bidder - BAE is real deep in our defense business and would likely be an OK choice. But Bammie doesn't like the Brits so look for a veto from the US government.
On the other hand - maybe Northrop could be talked into swapping the shipyard for a pot load of government held GM and Chrysler stock. At least it'd get the USG out of the car business and back into the US Navy business.
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It’s way past time to go back to the Navy shipyard system. The Navy needs to own its own yards again. I’m all for international competition and markets for civilian goods, but for military supplies, it should be A) US made only, with very, very few exceptions, and B) ships and aircraft should be made at USAF and USN owned facilities. Pay Lockheed, Boeing, etc, to help design new aircraft, and let them bid to supply components, but build them in military-owned facilities. The Navy used to build most of its ships in Navy-owned shipyards, and it kept contractors honest.
BAE made a series of “buy-ins” in the USA so they could be a player in the US defense industry, and as far as my info goes things are going ok to good in the places that got took over. BAE also has shipbuilding experience - they own the old VSEL shipyard in Barrow, UK where all of the Royal Navies submarines are made (and also the M777 155mm gun was designed).
The entire NORVA area is a Naval Disaster just waiting to happen. You know it, I know it, and any sailor or ex-Navy who's been home ported there or the Amphib Base knows it. Too many assets in one general area is insane.
Too Late. ABU DHABI SHIPBUILDING COMPLETES ITS FIRST U.S. NAVY SHIP REPAIR CONTRACT Our own government is out to destroy us by making insane deals like this one.
As a former "Canoe Clubber" myself, I'm not happy to hear this. The technology we build into the VERY overpriced ships that the Navy is ordering today is too expensive to allow a foreign company or foreign government to steal it as Clinton willingly did during the 90s with the Chinese.
The LAST thing we need to do is have to (potentially) go to war against our own technology because the government refuses to protect it, America, or its people. This should be a treasonable offense!!
Ping
BTW, late last year a little history was made...first time since they started building carriers in the '30s that 4 active-service flattops were parked at the yard at the same time. Kinda scary, actually.
GHW Bush and Carl Vinson in the foreground, Enterprise upper left and Teddy Roosevelt in dry dock in its early cycle of RCOH.
They are run by BAE Systems North America and operate under a Special Security Agreement that restricts/controls technical data flow to the parent company.
There are rumors that BAE Systems would become an American company if there presence here becomes much larger.
I have two pictures in my files and both are legit ones. One is 4 carriers at N.O.B. NORVA berthed in numerical order. Another is 5 carriers berthed at the same time at N.O.B. Two at Pier 12, Two at the new Pier 10, and one at Pier 7. Pier 10 was added sometime in the 80's as I understand it. N.O.B. used to be a three carrier base even at the height of our carrier forces. Pier 10 wasn't there in 1980 I know that for a fact. Pier 7 can only berth one carrier due to draft and turning issues. Pier 12 offers the best protection from wind sheers and I have seen wind sheers there put all the ships but one or two into the channel before. If you want to see the two pictures send me your e-mail addy again in FR Mail.
Norfolk area has too much in one place. Closing all the other ship builders was not a wise move. Norfolk Naval only has one carrier drydock itself and that is for overhauls and shared with other ships. When I was in IKE was the newest carrier in commission and Vinson was launched. I even got to see the FDR in Portsmouth before it was sent to the bone yard.
Northrop has a very bad record of loose security with so many Chinese and foreign employees.
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