Evening star., 1952-07-20
NaWAssigns Building
0fBig Carrier and Sub
To 7 Eastern Yards
BY the Assoeioted Press

The Brooklyn Navy Yard drew
the assignment yesterday to build
Americas second super aircraft
carrier.
At the same time, a contract
for the second atom-powered sub
marine went to the Electric Boat
Division Of General Dynamics
Corp. at Groton, Conn. which
already is at work on the first
Of the type.
The announcements were made
as the Navy began parceling out
the construction work under its
curtailed budget for the current
fiscal year.
Navy Ship Budget Cut.
Congress, cutting down the
national budget all along the line,
whitfield the Navy's ship construc-
ton and conversion program from
$944, ,3O6, 900 proposed in President
Truman'S budget to SSH, 1893, 900.
Funds were allowed to get go
ing on the outsize carrier and the
nuclear undersea fighter, but Navy
Secretary Dan Kimball, in his
announcement yesterday said
substantial parts" of the pro-
gram had been eliminated.
With the money it will get, the
Navy this year will build or start
building 40 new ships and $50
small landing craft, and convert
four vessels.
Second Carrier Restored.
Congress agreed to restoring the |
item for the second 10000 ton |
carrier only if the Navy made
cuts elsewhere and these ships
were dropped from the list under
that provision. The keel for the
Forrestal, first vessel of that class,
was laid only last Monday at the
yards of the Newport News Ship
building & Drydock Co. in Vir-
ginia.
In programming its 1853 build
ing and conversion, the Navy was
caught in the middle of demands
from both West and East Coast
interests. West Coast members of II
Congress tried to bring construc-
tion Of the second carrier to that
area, but the Navy decided on it's
Brooklyn yard because design ex-
perts, facilities and a submerged
dock suitable for construction of
the 1,040-foot carrier are avail
able there.
The estimated cost Of the For
restal is $218 million. But be-
cause Of the design and other
preliminary work available from
the Forrestal project, the second
ship will cost $209.7 million, Mr..
Kimball estimated.
West Coast Gets Ship.
Partly to help soothe the feel
ing of West Coast people, as well
as to keep shipbuilding going
concern, ready for expanded
mobilization. the Navy assigned
the conversion of two Essex class
carriers (27,00O tons) and the
building Of a new attack sub
marine to the Pacific seaboard.
One carrier will be converted at
the Puget Sound Wash, Navy
Yard, and the other at the SAM
Francisco yard. The submarine
will be built at the Mare Island
Navy Yard. Vallejo, Calf.
The second atomic submarine
will be similar in design to the
Nautilus. whose keel was laid a
few weeks ago by President Tru-
man. It's cost, without its nuclear
engine, is estimated at $32.7I
million.
Atomic Engines Differ.
While the two submarines will
be similar, their atomic engines
will be of different design. The
Navy wants to give each type an
actual sea trial.
The second submarine will use
an intermediate neutron energy
reactor as the "f1rebox" for the
steam turbines. In this type, the
neutrons released in the f1ssion |
process are fairly fast. A land
based engine, from which proto-
type second engine for the boat |
will be constructed, is being built
by the General Electric Co. near
Schenectady, N. Y.
The Nautilus is to use a so-called |
thermal" reactor as its heat gen.
Grating plant. Neutrons released
by this reactor are relatively slow.
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