Navy’s new ship sought for Everett

Published 11:31 pm Monday, November 12, 2007

EVERETT — A Washington state lawmaker is promoting Naval Station Everett as the future home of a new generation of warship, the Zumwalt-class destroyer.

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., has written to Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead and Navy Secretary Donald Winter pointing out advantages of bringing the ships and hundreds more sailors to Everett.

“I am promoting Naval Station Everett because we have a great story to tell, and I want to make sure (top Navy brass) continues to know what that story is,” said Larsen, a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

“Secondly, we are building new ships and need to decide where they will go. We have the space (at Naval Station Everett), and we want them,” Larsen said.

The Navy is looking at expanding its fleet from about 280 ships to 313 within the next decade or so. In addition, because of potential threats, more naval forces are being shifted from Atlantic to the Pacific ports.

Everett already has gotten some attention and is one of three Pacific ports eyed for the new guided-missile destroyer, said Capt. Thomas Mascolo, naval station commanding officer.

Everett was built for as many as 13 ships. It’s now home to six, including the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, two Arleigh Burke destroyers and three frigates.

Bases in San Diego and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, also are under consideration, Mascolo said.

“We’ll be ready to support them if they choose us,” he said.

The Navy expects to decide by the end of next year where the 600-foot, futuristic-looking Zumwalt destroyers will be located, Larsen said. The class and first ship will be named after Adm. Elmo Zumwalt, who was chief of naval operations from 1970 to 1974.

“The idea is to make sure the pieces are in place for Everett, as an important West Coast facility, to be ready to accept new ships as the Navy builds them,” Larsen said.

The first two of five planned Zumwalt destroyers are under construction and are expected to be launched in 2012.

The ship will have a variety of missions, including delivering cover fire for troops on shore as did World War II battleships, and launching Tomahawk cruise missiles to distant targets.

An addition that could help Everett’s bid for new ships is a $10.9 million training facility. Congress last week approved a military construction budget that includes funding for the 28,400-square-foot facility.

“I am confident that building infrastructure like this will make Naval Station Everett even more attractive for new naval assets in the future,” Larsen said.

In a statement, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said the funding will “help ensure our sailors have the best training possible, and that we keep Naval Station Everett a world-class facility to meet our country’s military needs for decades to come.”

Mascolo said the training facility, which could be in operation by 2011, will be good for sailors.

“We won’t have to send sailors out of town constantly while they get their training,” Mascolo said. “That’s one way of defining a home port because you don’t have to leave.”

In his communications with Roughead and Winter, Larsen pointed out that the Everett base provides direct deep-water access. He also maintained that the cost of adding the destroyers to the Everett group would be minimal for the Navy, and living in the Northwest is far cheaper for the sailors than places such as San Diego.

“We have Navy piers. We’re building Navy ships,” Larsen said. “Let’s put our share in Everett.”

Reporter Jim Haley: 425-339-3447 or jhaley@heraldnet.com.