$1.98 of ships ordered

Press, 28 November 1984, Page 10

$1.98 of ships ordered

NZPA-Reuter Washington The United States Navy awarded yesterday contracts valued at SUSI. 9 billion (53.88 billion) for the construction of 10 ships, including four nuclear submarines and three guided missile cruisers. The Secretary of the Navy, Mr John Lehman, said that the craft, to be built at six shipyards, would be a significant contribution to the 600-ship modem Navy, planned by the President, Mr Ronald Reagan. Three Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarines

were awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding Company, in Virginia, in a $U5779.4 million ($1.59 billion) deal. A fourth submarine will be built by General Dynamics’ Electric Boat Division, in Connecticut, ’ for $U5282.9 million ($577.1 million). The Los Angeles-class vessels are considered to be a front line defence against Soviet ballistic missile submarines. Twenty-nine of the United States attack <submarines have been delivered and 19 are now on order. The three Ticonderoga-

class guided missile cruisers were split between two shipyards. Bath Iron Works, in Maine, got two cruisers for a total of $U5383.6 million ($782.5 million), while Litton Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding Division, in Pascagoula, Missisippi, was awarded the third at $U5283.6 million ($578.5 million). Litton would supply some equipment for the ships built in Maine, the Navy said. The Navy now has only two of the sophisticated big guided missile cruisers but plans to have 29 eventually. Contracts were also

awarded yesterday on two troop transport landingships and a coastal minehunter. Avondale Shipyards, of New Orleans, will build the two new and fast Whidbey Island-class landing ships under a 5U5246.2 million ($502.2 million) contract. The coastal minehunter, the first of a new Cardnalclass aimed at channel clearance and mine countermeasure operations in ports and their coastal approaches, will be built by Bell Aerospace Textron, in New Orleans, for $U527.3 million ($55.7 million).