Navy abandons plan to fix nuclear sub burned in Maine

[unhappycamper]

http://www.pressherald.com/news/Navy-abandons-plan-to-fix-nuclear-sub.html

The repairs were expected to cost $450 million, after a man set fire to the sub at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in 2012.

Navy abandons plan to fix nuclear sub burned in Maine
By Kevin Miller and Dennis Hoey
Posted: August 6

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy has canceled plans to repair a fire-damaged nuclear submarine at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery because of higher-than-anticipated costs and federal budget cuts, officials said Tuesday.

The Navy estimated that it would cost an additional $390 million in the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1 to repair the USS Miami, which was severely damaged by an arsonist at the shipyard in May 2012. As a result, the submarine will be removed from service and the money will be used elsewhere.

The Navy said it has spent $8 million so far for repairs to the submarine – from a $94 million contract it awarded to a contractor in September.

It was unclear Tuesday night how the decision will affect the workload at the shipyard, which employs about 4,700 civilians. But the consensus among union leaders was that it will not cause the loss of any jobs.