Carrier Lobby Defends New Construction

Who care's about our shrinking fleet? From The Hill:

Bush’s request also would give the carrier industry a lifeline by requiring the Navy to start building a new CVN-21 every four years. Construction on the first will start in 2008. All carriers are built by Northrop Grumman Newport News in Virginia.
The first ship in the CVN-21 class is projected to cost more than $13 billion, a price tag that forced the Navy to cancel plans for a 2007 start to construction.
“Our biggest concern is maintaining a constant shipbuilding stream,” said Rick Giannini, president and CEO of the Milwaukee Valve Co., a supplier for Navy carriers.

Yeah, we know.