Navy Admiral Calls Portsmouth Naval Shipyard A “Critical” Installation

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Talk of another round of BRAC closures has politicians from both NH and Maine nervous about the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

With continued talk of pruning the Pentagon’s budget, the military has told Congress it plans to save money by starting a new round of base realignment and closure, or BRAC.  The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was spared during the last BRAC round in 2005.  Still, the senate delegations from Maine and New Hampshire have been vocal in their protests against another look at American installations, especially the one in Kittery.  Now, as Deborah McDermott of SeacoastOnline.com reports, the Navy’s Chief of Operations, Admiral Jonathan Greenert, has noted the importance of the shipyard:

“…Adm. Jonathan Greenert, touring Bath Iron Works on Wednesday, was asked about the prospect of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard surviving a base closure process.

‘Portsmouth fills a critical need for overhaul of our submarines and provides other things, as well. I don’t see that need diminishing at all in the future,’ he said.”

The shipyard’s main mission is overhauling and repairing Los Angeles-class submarines.