The new 30-year plan is interesting, reflecting several changes in policy since the previous edition.  Click here to see a summary table.  I have broken down the categories defined in the plan by vessel type but, because the plan is not quite as detailed as I would have liked, I'm not 100% positive that I did it correctly.  In any case, the key points for me are:

•   Mixed news for Bath and Ingalls as the DDG schedule is cut back and the CG(X) goes away, but overall this schedule looks better for long-term workload planning.

•   No surprises for the LCS contractors: the planned force structure is still 55 boats.

•   Good news for Ingalls as the amphib schedule seems to be strongly supported and more logical than it was, although the LCC program goes away.

•   Excellent news for NASSCO as the MLP not only survives but will be based on NASSCO's Alaskan crude carrier design, and the next-generation T-AO, of which 19 are planned, is also to be based on a commercial design, presumably NASSCO's product carrier.

•   Wonderful news for Austal as the Navy now plans to buy 22 more JHSVs over the next 12 years, and that doesn't include the ones the Army will buy.

•   Not much else: two ASs, which would have to be built in a big yard, four T-ATFs, four T-ARSs and five T-AGOSs.

•   Note that 156 of the 276 ships in the table - about 5 ships a year - are large enough to require a big shipyard, while 120 - about 4 ships a year - can and will be built in mid-size shipyards.  How times have changed!

February 4, 2010.

The almost complete lack of competent editing in today's media was emphasized this morning by the headline over a long article in the New York Times about Admiral Mike Mullen.  The headline?  "General's Opposition to Gay Policy was Years in the Making".  Amazing.  February 4, 2010.

Have you seen the language that's being circulated?  I kinda like it and it's hard to imagine more than 535 people being against it.

The general idea is to prevent them from exempting themselves from the laws that they inflict on the rest of us, which at present they do wholesale.  Oh, I know it's totally impractical, but just discussing it might get their attention.   February 3, 2010.

The latest edition of the Navy's 30-year shipbuilding plan is out.  Read it here.  Comment and discussion tomorrow.  February 3, 2010.

VT Halter Marine has delivered the Bell M. Shimada, (R 227), the fourth of four FRVs it has been building for NOAA.  Read NOAA's announcement here.  February 3, 2010.

Simultaneous with the Administration's budget request of $45 million for the design of the Coast Guard's OPC, or next-generation medium-endurance cutter, the Coast Guard has announced its acquisition strategy for this program.  Read it here.  There will be three Phase I design contracts followed by a winner-takes-all construction contract.  Who are the probable competitors?  NGSB and BIW, of course, but they will be too expensive.  Bollinger, Marinette and VT Halter Marine, certainly: these three are the likely Phase I contractors.  Dark horses include Todd, Derecktor and Signal Ship Repair (ex-Bender).  And just to complicate things, wouldn't it be interesting if Austal were to have a candidate design?  February 3, 2010.

The ASN(RDA), Sean Stackley, is quoted in the Newport News Daily Press as saying that "he is confident in Northrop Grumman Corp.'s ability to deliver quality ships to the Navy despite widespread problems reported last week on surface ships built at Northrop's Gulf Coast shipyards".  Read the story here.  Well, he's about the only person outside Northrop Grumman who is, and his statement is way out of line.  This is further evidence that the Navy and the big defense contractors are closely allied in their incompetence and unable to maintain a proper customer-supplier relationship.  What Stackley, whose qualifications for being ASN include having been in charge of the disastrous LPD 17 program, should have said was something like " I am no longer confident that Northrop Grumman has the ability to deliver quality ships to the Navy and I require them to take immediate and effective action to restore my confidence."  February 3/4, 2010.

The entire MARAD budget request for 2011 is only $352 million, almost all of which is either for the operation of Kings Point or for subsidies to employers of Kings Point graduates.  Nothing for Title XI, which actually creates jobs in the U.S.  Why don't we just close MARAD down?   February 3, 2010.  Apostrophes deleted February 4.

The Brownsville rig builder has delivered the LeTourneau Super 116-E jack-up Tuxpan to Perforadora Central, SA.  Read the announcement here.   February 2, 2010.

The FY11 budget request totals $16.6 billion and provides for nine new ships.  Notable are the decision to kill the CG(X) and LCC(R) programs and the lack of any NDSF ships.  A tenth ship, a JHSV, will be paid for separately, by the Army.  February 2/5, 2010.