Shipbuilding proposal holds no surprises

The defense budget proposal unveiled Thursday includes $1.9 billion to buy three Littoral Combat Ships and $2.2 billion for one DDG-51. Two teams, General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin, will compete to build the LCS ships, while the DDG-51 is likely to be built by Northrop Grumman in Pascagoula. The General Dynamics LCS team includes Austal USA of Mobile, Ala. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 05/08/09)