Improved Engineering Design Process
Floor Speech
IMPROVED ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS
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Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I rise to express my support for a program sponsored by the U.S. Navy, which will significantly streamline the process for planning and executing repair and modernization of our submarine fleet at our naval shipyards. The Improved Engineering Design Process uses advanced 3-D digital scanning techniques to accurately capture the ``as is'' layout of specific ship spaces that will be impacted in the repair process. These digital 3-D images can then be easily shared to allow collaboration among our public shipyards to facilitate greater efficiency in planning and executing repairs and modernization. Because of the high operating tempo of our fleet, it is essential that we find ways to accomplish these repairs faster and return our submarines to operational readiness more quickly. I understand that implementation of this process in our public shipyards has the potential to produce annual savings of $30 million. I ask the distinguished ranking member of the Appropriations Committee if he would agree such a program should be further developed and implemented as quickly as possible?
Mr. STEVENS. The project described by the Senator from Maine appears to have great merit. Savings of this magnitude are especially important at a time when our resources are stretched very thinly.
Ms. COLLINS. The distinguished ranking member makes a very important point regarding the need for pursuing initiatives of this kind so that our scarce dollars can go further. I understand that the Navy believes strongly in the merits of this program and has considered this program for inclusion in future budget requests. I encourage the Navy to not only include it in its budget request, but to also identify existing funds that may be applied to keeping this program moving forward. In addition, I ask the committee ranking member to join me in encouraging the Navy to continue supporting this critical program and, if possible, to identify potential fiscal year 2008 funds that could be made available as we finalize those budget deliberations. I thank the Senator for his interest in and support for this important initiative.
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