The Secretary of State for Defense announcement on the royal Navy's Type 45 destroyer was hailed as a boon for South Coast Shipbuilding, as the revised strategy means that Vosper Thornycroft (VT) will play a significant role in the Type 45 program, building sections for all ship in the class. "The strategy involves a commitment now to six ships of the planned class of up to 12 ships, doubling the number on order," said Defense Secretary Geoffrey Hoon. "The new strategy gives a welcome level of stability to our warship building industry. The initial batch is six vessels, and working with prime contractor BAE Systems the job will secure 650 employees in the VT shipbuilding division well into the next decade…