Today, Representatives Shontel Brown (OH-11), Tim Ryan (OH-13), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), and Ohio Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman sent a letter to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro expressing their concern about the maintenance backlogs at the Navy’s four government-operated naval shipyards, the primary facilities responsible for depot-level maintenance work on the Navy’s Fast Attack Submarine Fleet.
The bipartisan delegation also encouraged the Navy to consider establishing a Great Lakes maintenance facility, highlighting that Ohio possesses both a highly trained workforce and the facilities needed to readily develop the maintenance needs of the submarine force.
“Our nation’s Submarine Fleet plays an essential role in our national security and maintenance delays are degrading our nation’s readiness,” the lawmakers wrote. “We urge you to expand and improve shipyard performance to increase readiness.”
The lawmakers continued, “Ohio would welcome the opportunity to address the maintenance backlog of the Navy in an effective and cost-efficient manner and could train a world-class workforce ready to meet the highly technical requirements associated with the maintenance and overhaul of the nuclear fast attack submarine fleet.”
Read the full letter here.
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