Dodd, Lieberman Announce Appropriations for Connecticut's Defense, Submarine Industry
September 29, 2006

WASHINGTON – The Senate today approved the 2007 Defense Appropriations Conference Report, which has already been approved by the House of Representatives and is expected to be signed by the President.  Due to the efforts of Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT), the bill supports Connecticut’s defense industry, particularly in the critical areas of submarine research and technology.  In addition to boosting Connecticut’s economy, the funding will help ensure that U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines are outfitted with the resources they need to perform their missions.  

 
“This bill is a ‘vote of confidence’ in the workers in Connecticut who manufacture the high-tech equipment used by our military to our keep our nation safe, whether in the air, undersea or on the ground,” Dodd said. “While we need to continue to do more to ensure that our military has the resources it needs to get the job done, on balance, this bill represents a significant win for our state’s economy and jobs, and our nation’s security.”  


“Connecticut’s defense industry is renowned for its excellence and dedication to quality,” Lieberman said. “This money bolsters that integrity by allowing our outstanding workers do what they do best: integrate, innovate and incorporate the latest technologies into our machinery so America’s troops can continue to fight the dynamic and evolving war on terror and defend our nation from a range of global threats to our security. With these funds we can ensure America's military remains the best trained, best equipped and best led in the world.  There is also funding for several high-technology, small defense companies in Connecticut who are on the cutting edge for providing our troops with the best equipment, protection, and weapons possible.”

Sen. Dodd’s amendment addressing potential shortfalls in critical combat gear that challenge U.S. military readiness was retained and strengthened during the conferences between the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Funding in the Defense Appropriations bill will be used for military equipment, ranging from ground vehicles, aircraft, and naval ships to various advances in technology development and troop protection. The following towns and projects will be funded through the defense appropriations:


Groton (Electric Boat)


$2.5 billion to procure one new VIRGINIA Class attack submarine


$32 million for submarine research:

      -$9 million Large Aperture Bow Array on Virginia Class Submarines

      -$6.75 million Flexible Payload Module and Virginia Payload Interface Module
      -$5.2 million for Advanced Submarine research

-$4.5 million to demonstrate Large Displacement Unmanned Undersea Vehicle at Sea Launch and Recovery technology

-$2.25 million to develop High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) Generator technology
      -$4.3 million submarine modernization and technology insertion


Stratford (Sikorsky)


$2.5 billion to purchase 102 Black Hawk helicopters, including 20 aircraft more than the President’s budget.


$357 million to continue developing the CH-53K Super Stallion helicopter.


Middletown (Pratt and Whitney)


$4.3 billion to procure 22 C-17 cargo aircraft  powered by F117-PW-100 engines.  This funding amounts to an additional $2.2 billion over the President’s budget to procure an additional 10 aircraft.  The Act would authorize another 4-year C-17 multi-year purchase.


$2.7 billion to procure 20 F/A 22 Raptor attack aircraft.


$4.3 billion for research and development on the Joint Strike Fighter, outfitted with F119 Pratt and Whitney engines, as well as $480 million to procure two F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, $219 million in advanced procurement of 12 JSFs in 2008
 
There was also study language included in the report calling for the Institute for Defense Analysis (IDA) to perform a study on the life-cycle costs of the JSF alternate engine and submit a report back to the committee by March 15, 2007.


Norwalk (Norden Systems)


$2 million above the President’s budget to fund APY-6 Real Time Precision Targeting Radar


$4.6 million to develop the APN-241 Color Weather Radar to upgrade safety and operational performance of radars on Air Force C-130s for the Air National Guard and Reserves


Danbury (Goodrich)


$1.8 million above the President’s budget to procure AN/AVR-2B Laser Detecting Sets to detect certain guided weapons targeting Army helicopters.


$1.575 million to develop Reconnaissance Payloads for Operationally Responsive Spacecraft.


$1.95 million for the Prometheus Spectrometer, employing millimeter wave technology to detect chemical/biological warfare agents.


-ElectroEnergy:  $1 million for research and development of Bipolar Wafer-cell Nickel-Metalhydride aircraft battery to outfit the Air Force’s F-16 aircraft.


-DRS Systems:  $11 million to continue research and development of a permanent magnet motor system for use in electric propulsion and power generation of Naval ships.


West Hartford (Goodrich Pump and Engine Control Systems)


$3 million to develop Universal Control Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) Systems for Black Hawk, Chinook, Apache and Armed Reconnaissance helicopters.


$1 million purchase Engine Digital Electronic Control for Black Hawk Helictopers.


Windsor Locks  (Hamilton Sundstrand)


$1.3 million for an electric start system for large gas turbine powered Naval ships


$1.1 million to develop an Air Force electronic propeller control system


Windsor (Aerogear)


$1 million for Legacy Aerospace Gear Drive Re-engineering program to rebuild key sectors of the U.S. aerospace industry.


Enfield (Specialized Technology Resources, Inc)


$1.35 million to expand domestic production of Solar Cell Components known as photovoltaic encapsulant.


South Windsor  (UTC Power)


$3 million to develop fuel cell powered Army vehicles using technology called Hydrogen PEM ambient Pressure


Capewell:  $1 million for Rapid Fielding of Precision Airdrop Technology to safely and accurately deliver supplies and reinforcements to military units in Iraq and Afghanistan quickly.


Bloomfield (Kaman)


$2.25 million to develop an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle that could be used to resupply soldiers deployed under combat conditions.


Mystic (Alion)

$1 million to develop Advanced Receive-While-Transmit-Sonar technology.


Chesapeake Sciences: $1.3 million to develop an affordable twin line towed array.


Branford (Oxley)


$6.5 million for research and development of a Future Medical Shelter System for the Army to deploy 2 mobile health care units, fully equipped with biological and chemical decontamination facilities.


Bridgeport (Moore tool)

           

$2 million for development of special precision micro-manipulation and SuperPulse laser machine tool systems for work on turbine engines.


Branford (Invitrogen)
 
$1.1 million Multi-Purpose Bioddefense Immunoarrays to help accelerate the development of vaccines to biological threats; assess the vulnerability of individuals and populations to specific biological threats; improve bioterrorism response; and develop core technology for detection and diagnostics.


New Haven (Yale New Haven Hospital)

$1.5 million to develop a National Center for Integrated Civilian-Military Medical Response and Homeland Defense to develop and implement an appropriate emergency response model for the nation.


Wallingford (Z-Medica)

$1.3 million for the Marine Corps and $1.4 million for the Marine Corps reserves to use a high-tech clotting agents called QuickClot for traumatic wounds incurred in combat.


 

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( published in: Media Center | Press Releases | Strengthening our Military )