Navy Plans to Kill Cargo Ship Program

The Defense Department has blessed the Navy's plan to kill the T-AOE(X) cargo ship program in the fiscal year 2007 defense budget process, Inside Defense reports. This is one of several items listed in the first program decision memorandum, issued Dec. 1 in draft form by DOD's office of program analysis and evaluation. Eliminating the T-AOE(X) program allows DOD to save about $4.4 billion for other priorities, the report said. Though the program was still in the early stages, four ships had been programmed in the long-term budget. Some research and development money associated with the program would still be spent on underway replenishment equipment for use on other ships. Source: Inside Defense